Dan Cregg sees meaningful parallels between CFBNJ’s mission and the work of PSE&G, his employer of over 30 years. Both meet fundamental needs – utilities and food.
“You take for granted your next meal, just like you take for granted that when you flip a switch, the lights will turn on. But when you suddenly don’t have it, it becomes everything,” he explained.
PSE&G and CFBNJ also serve many of the same communities. This overlap has inspired Dan’s involvement. “We serve electric and gas to a lot of communities that are also served by the FoodBank,” he said, “so I think it was a natural extension of that for me to serve those communities in a different way as a CFBNJ board member.”
Dan has served on CFBNJ’s Board of Directors for about five years now. Currently, he lends his expertise as Treasurer of the Board, the chair of its finance and investments committee, and a member of its executive and strategic planning committees, helping to drive the organization’s financial and operational efficiency.
Even before joining the Board, Dan witnessed PSE&G’s strong commitment to CFBNJ through corporate volunteerism. Over the years, countless PSE&G employees, himself included, have visited the FoodBank to make a hands-on difference.
“There’s just a really, really positive energy in the warehouse, which is great,” Dan said, in appreciation of these opportunities. During a recent visit, he was one of nearly 100 PSE&G employees who helped pack boxes of nutritious food.
And PSE&G’s support extends beyond manpower and monetary donations; it also leverages its expertise to improve CFBNJ’s operations. The company installed solar panels on CFBNJ’s Hillside warehouse, providing an energy-efficient solution that reduces operating costs, and when the FoodBank expanded its refrigeration capacity to store more fresh food, PSE&G conducted an energy audit to ensure that the new infrastructure remained sustainable.
“It’s not only about volunteering. Our expertise in energy efficiency, solar panels, and infrastructure helps the FoodBank sustain its mission,” Dan explained.
To describe CFBNJ in three words, Dan chooses “essential, impactful, and loving.” The last word, especially, is what reaffirms his commitment to hunger relief time and time again. “At its core, what we’re really doing for people is an expression of love,” he reflected.