Fulfill Announces Honorees for its 40^th Anniversary Celebration

Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and Two Local Organizations Recognized for their Dedication to Fighting Food Insecurity

Neptune, NJ – Fulfill Board Chair, Susan Doctorian Kyrillos and Fulfill President and CEO, Triada Stampas proudly announced this year’s honorees for its 40^th Anniversary Gala. The honorees include:

• Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy – Champion of Change Award
• The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners – Humanitarian Impact Award
• Causeway CARes, funded by the Wintrode Family Foundation – Community Leadership Award
• Monmouth Beach Kids Quench Hunger – Junior Humanitarian Award

The evening will also feature Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television journalist, Yale professor and author, Jack Ford as the esteemed master of ceremonies, and entertainment from the popular Jersey Shore band Brian Kirk & The Jirks. Fulfill honored Kirk for his longtime support at its “Shore to Rock” benefit concert in 2023.

Held at the Fulfill warehouse in Neptune on Thursday, September 26, the 40^th Anniversary Celebration will highlight the organization’s legacy of fighting hunger and improving lives. Begun in 1984 as a compassionate response to a local need, Fulfill has evolved into a transformative approach to addressing food insecurity comprehensively throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

“We are thrilled to share this milestone with our esteemed gala honorees, starting with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy,” said Kyrillos. “The significant work being done to fight food insecurity at the state level by the Murphy Administration and the Legislature, combined with First Lady Tammy Murphy’s critical efforts in 2020 to marshal private support through the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, places New Jersey at the forefront of that fight. Our region is also fortunate to have support at the county level, thanks to the Board of County Commissioners and Monmouth ACTS.”

Two organizations with close ties to Fulfill round out the list of this year’s honorees. Causeway CARes is a long-time supporter of Fulfill, supporting through sponsorships, donations, hosting food drives and volunteering, while Kids Quench Hunger is a group of children from Monmouth Beach who help Fulfill fight hunger by raising funds and awareness at their lemonade stand every summer.

“Our two honoree organizations exemplify legacy and leadership, and we are delighted to recognize their contributions to our mission,” said Stampas. “Causeway CARes, funded by the Wintrode Family Foundation, has been a steadfast and generous supporter for two decades, and instrumental to the launch of The BEAT Center, Fulfill’s food security hub in Ocean County. The Monmouth Beach students who run the ‘Kids Quench Hunger’ lemonade stand are powerful examples of how young leaders can help others and improve their communities.”

The Awards recognize the honorees in the following ways:

• Champion of Change Award – Recognizing exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing policies and resources that support hunger relief and food security in New Jersey.
• Humanitarian Impact Award – Honoring the commitment and impactful contributions of the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners in supporting community initiatives to combat hunger.
• Community Leadership Award – Celebrating outstanding community efforts and significant contributions to alleviating hunger and improving the lives of those in need.
• Junior Humanitarian Award – Acknowledging the inspiring efforts and remarkable achievements of young philanthropists in addressing hunger and fostering a culture of giving in their community.

The choice of Fulfill’s warehouse headquarters for this event has special meaning. By the late 1990s, Fulfill had outgrown the small Spring Lake warehouse where it was founded. This necessitated the construction in 2001 of its current 43,000-square-foot headquarters, enabling Fulfill to distribute 3 million pounds of food in its first year there. Today, having distributed nearly 18 million pounds of food from this same warehouse, Fulfill is at another inflection point:  it is embarking on a historic campaign to raise critical funds for several key initiatives, including an expansion of its warehouse with cold storage space to supply nutritious protein, produce and dairy items for the more than 100,000 Monmouth & Ocean County residents who rely on its network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community distribution sites for food every month.

To learn more about the gala, one of Fulfill’s most important fundraisers, visit https://fulfillnj.org/40thannivsignup/.

About Fulfill
Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, Fulfill, the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, has been dedicated to addressing hunger in the Jersey Shore community since 1984. As an active member of Feeding America, Fulfill proudly works with a network of nearly 300 partners, including soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters to provide 1.2 million meals per month to area residents, families, children, seniors and veterans in need. Committed to more than just food distribution, Fulfill also offers connections to affordable healthcare options, Medicaid, SNAP and other services to help neighbors lead healthy and self-sufficient lives. To learn more or become involved, visit www.fulfillnj.org.

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