The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) will honor five exemplary community heroes for their remarkable contributions to make life better in North Jersey at the organization’s first Community Changemaker Night. The 2025 heroes are New Jersey Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese of Cliffside Park, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck Professor and Biology Department Chair Dr. Marion McClary, and Gina Wilson and Lisa De Dominicis, Fund Advisors for the Andrea Tilbian Halejian Memorial Fund. The celebration takes place on Thursday, June 5, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at a cocktail reception held at Forte Ristorante, located at 160 Prospect Avenue in Hackensack, New Jersey. The NNJCF is a 501( c )(3) not-for-profit headquartered in Hackensack, serving North Jersey.
The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation honors heroes at the first Community Changemaker Night.
Community Heroes to be Honored
The heroes receiving the 2025 awards exemplify excellence in the Foundation’s focus areas. These include green and healthy places, creative communities, and belonging and opportunity. In addition, the NNJCF recognizes overall community leadership. The NNJCF honors these local heroes, who have made their communities better places to live, work and be.
Creative Communities Award
New Jersey Assemblyman (District 36) Clinton Calabrese – Creative Communities Award for helping communities through the arts, supporting artists, or enhancing cultural ecosystems. As a dedicated advocate for the arts, Assemblyman Calabrese played a pivotal role in fostering cultural initiatives in his hometown of Cliffside Park, becoming a founding member of the Cliffside Park Arts Association. Assemblyman Calabrese is a proponent of the arts as a vital contributor to New Jersey’s economy.
He was a primary sponsor of Bill A3032 Aca (1R), which aims to designate space in the State House or its grounds for the display of artwork from each county in New Jersey. Additionally, he co-sponsored legislation directing the Juvenile Justice Commission to establish an arts education pilot program for juvenile offenders. He also supported a bill allocating $70 million in federal funds to the Economic Development Authority to support arts and culture organizations adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visionary Leadership Award
South Orange Mayor and Lt. Governor candidate Sheena Collum – Visionary Leadership Award for significant contributions to the betterment of a North Jersey community. As the first woman to hold office as mayor in South Orange, Collum demonstrated a commitment to civic engagement, volunteerism, and the modernization of municipal operations in the village. Under her stewardship, South Orange secured over $500 million in commercial and mixed-use investments, with a strong emphasis on inclusionary affordable housing and groundbreaking community benefits agreements. She also spearheaded the creation of a downtown business incubator and an artist hub, fostering economic opportunity while enhancing the cultural fabric of the community.
Green and Healthy Places Leadership Award
Fairleigh Dickinson University Professor and Biology Department Chair Marion McClary – Green and Healthy Places Leadership Award for protecting the environment or advancing public health. Dr. Marion McClary, a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, has received grant money to study the effects of pollutants on detritus on which animals in the Hackensack Meadowlands feed and to study the effectiveness of sediment caps in isolating pollutants from the water of Kearny Marsh. He serves on several committees and boards of directors working to enhance the environment.
Belonging and Opportunity Award
Fund Advisors for the Andrea Tilbian Halejian Memorial Fund, Gina Wilson and Lisa De Dominicis – Belonging and Opportunity Award for supporting inclusive communities or economic opportunity. Wilson and De Dominicis, cousins of the Fund’s namesake, will receive the award for their work supporting inclusive communities through The Andrea Tilbian Halejian Memorial Fund. The fund memorializes late Wyckoff resident Andrea Tilbian Halejian and also contributes to qualified charitable organizations she supported.
Bergen Record Columnist/Humorist Bill Ervolino to Perform
During the festivities, Bergen Record columnist and humorist Bill Ervolino serves as emcee and also performs. In addition, Ryan Huban of Howdy Stranger presents a fun, interactive game-show awards ceremony. Attendees will also have an opportunity to network with heroes, leaders, and advocates dedicated to making North Jersey a better place to live. They will enjoy artisanal bites and a selection of wines and beers in a vibrant atmosphere.
Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities
The cost per ticket is $130 per person. Special ticket rates are available for parties of three, five, and ten. Tickets can be purchased online.
Sponsorship levels, ranging from $125 to $5,000, provide opportunities for individuals and businesses to participate and recognize the heroes honored. In addition, a digital ad, ranging from $125 to $500, may be purchased. The ads appear in a digital journal shown the night of the celebration. They also appear on the Community Changemaker Night’s website. With these funds, the NNJCF plans to build alliances and support programs to protect the environment and to produce public art. To date, Champion sponsors for the event include Fairleigh Dickinson University, Nishuane Group, and Seton Hall University.
Silent Auction
A silent auction also offers a range of products to bid upon. Some of the items available to bid upon include gift baskets. The gift baskets feature Night Out tickets to one performance at a range of venues. The venues include Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee and also the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) in Hackensack. An Iconic Coffee gift card comes with the HACPAC basket. Jersey City Theater Center in Jersey City also provided tickets. In addition, guests can bid for tickets from these venues: Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, Nimbus Dance Works in Jersey City, and South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange. Furthermore, other auction items include a tour of Two River Gourmet Mushrooms in Millstone, with a basket of exotic mushrooms, and a personalized one-hour consultation on landscape design by Teaneck-based Sprout Farms and Gardens.
For people unable to attend, make a donation online. Other options include sending a check made out to The Northern NJ Community Foundation (NNJCF). Mail the donation to 1 University Plaza Drive, Suite 128, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
What Can We Do Together?
The Foundation follows the motto ‘What can we do together, that we can’t do alone?’. With this, it helps North Jersey become a better place to live, work, and also enjoy. The NNJCF accomplishes this by bringing people together to address pressing issues. These issues cover public health and environmental protection. In addition, the organization addresses civil society and education.
The Foundation also works to enhance quality of life in the eight northern counties of New Jersey. These counties include Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Morris. The remaining counties cover Passaic, Sussex, Warren and also Union. Founded in 1998, the NNJCF awarded over $1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also awarded scholarships to local residents. The organization developed diverse alliances to tackle critical quality of life issues, while also connecting people to valuable resources. Furthermore, the NNJCF produced catalytic public art and environmental projects to benefit all residents.
To get involved in the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s work, call 201-568-5608 or send an e-mail to nnjcf@nnjcf.org.
