Blue Jean Ball
A special occasion to gather in support of CFBNJ’s mission and celebrate our FOOD, HELP and HOPE Awards honoring those who have gone above and beyond to support New Jersey families in need, Blue Jean Ball begins with an indoor-outdoor cocktail reception, followed by a sit-down gourmet dinner, award ceremony, and entertainment on stage against the stunning backdrop of NJPAC’s main theater.
For more information about this year’s event or for ticket and Sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Special Events office at events@cfbnj.org / 908-485-4462 or complete the interest form below.
Blue Jean Ball Highlights & Photos
2023
Blue Jean Ball Chairs
Polly and Terry O’Toole
Patty and Chris Perry
Judy and Bob Spires
Jane and Mark WilfMaster of Ceremonies
Adam Sank
Featuring Entertainment
Lexi Lawson
Blue Jean Ball 2023 Honorees:
FOOD AWARD
New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher
For his vision and support to advance access to fresh, nutritious, and delicious food statewide, and to nurture the healthiest of outcomes for the state’s most vulnerable.
HELP AWARD
Roby and Josh Weinreich
For their decades of leadership and personal commitment to CFBNJ’s mission, and their incredible efforts in response to the pandemic.
HOPE AWARD
Eastern Fresh Growers
Meadowlands YMCA
Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative
Saint John United Methodist ChurchOur dedicated partners, who provide essential fresh produce and inspire healthy and positive lifestyles for our neighbors in need.
THANK YOU SPONSORS:
Blue Jean Hero
Jess Chang and Wayne Paglieri
Denim Diamond
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Rachel and Michael RimlandDungaree Idol
Appaloosa L.P./The Tepper Foundation
Larry L. Luing Family Foundation
Frances Burns and Richard S. Nitzberg
Polly and Terry O’Toole
Roby and Josh WeinreichBoot Cut Savior
Amerigroup
Patty and Chris Perry/Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
The Leon and Toby Cooperman Family Foundation
Jane and Mark WilfBell Bottom Benefactor
ACME Markets Foundation
Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
CA Ferolie
D’Maris and Joseph Dempsey
Pamela and Andy Federbusch
Jill and Cameron Gateman
Goya Foods
Karen and Ralph Izzo/PSEG
Kings Foundation
Melanie and Alan Levitan
Mazars USA LLP
Peerless Beverage Company
Pfizer
Prudential Financial
PSEG
RWJBarnabas Health
Sanofi
Summit Health Cares
Wakefern Food Corp.2022
Blue Jean Ball Chairs
Denise & Tony Ferolie
Patty & Chris Perry
Roby & Josh WeinreichHonorees
Food Award
Acme & Kings Nourishing Neighbors
A leading partner of CFBNJ in food donations, financial support, awareness and volunteerism.Help Award
Bank of America
Decades of philanthropic investment in CFBNJ
and an extraordinary commitment to pandemic response.Hope Award
A Salute to Bergen County
Our strong alliance, with whom we have been working hand in hand, side by side fighting the effects of COVID-19 and its impact on our New Jersey neighbors in need.Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur
The Russell Berrie Foundation
Center for Food Action in New Jersey
Varick Memorial Food PantrySponsors
Blue Jean Heroes
ACME/Kings: Nourishing Neighbors
Bank of America
Wayne Paglieri and Jess ChangDenim Diamond
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Dungaree Idols
Luing Family Foundation
Terence and Paula O’Toole
Roby and Josh Weinreich2021
Because of the generosity of sponsors, honorees, performers, and nearly 400 virtual attendees, we raised over $1.3 million for CFBNJ’s mission during this time when it’s needed most. THANK YOU to all who attended and supported the beloved annual event!
Special thanks to event chairs Alma DeMetropolis, Polly & Terry O’Toole, Patty & Chris Perry, Roby & Josh Weinreich.
HONOREES
FOOD AWARD
Stop & Shop
HELP AWARD
First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Snyder Murphy
New Jersey Pandemic Relief FundHOPE AWARD
Partners in Disaster & Pandemic
Thank you, sponsors:
BLUE JEAN HERO
Bank of America
Wayne Paglieri
Stop & Shop
Manny & Mila Teixeira Foundation Inc.DENIM DIAMOND
JPMorgan Chase & Co.DUNGAREE IDOL
Luing Family Foundation
Polly and Terry O’Toole
Roby and Josh Weinreich
Josh Weston
Wilf Family FoundationsBOOT CUT SAVIOR
Dottie Litwin-Brief and Donald Brief
Leon and Toby Cooperman Family Foundation
Frances Burns and Richard S. Nitzberg
Patty and Chris Perry/Broadridge
PNC
PrudentialBELL BOTTOM BENEFACTOR
Alma DeMetropolis
D’Maris & Joseph Dempsey and Melanie & Alan Levitan
ESM Ferolie Group/ Beacon United Brokers
Pamela and Andrew Federbusch
Jill and Cameron Gateman
Goya Foods
Mazars
New York Giants
Peerless Beverage Company
Pfizer
PSEG
Eileen and Les Quick
Wakefern Food Corp.2019
Heartwarming support from all fronts plus months of planning with our devoted partners, the Blue Jean Ball 2019 came to an end with more than $1.36 million raised to help the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to continue providing Food, Help and Hope to our hungry neighbors.
Special thanks to our event chairs Alma DeMetropolis, Patty & Chris Perry, Liz & Tom Pryma and Roby & Josh Weinreich and the Board of the FoodBank for their leadership.
Photos by Turtlebox Pictures.
FOOD AWARD
WAKEFERN FOOD CORP.
One of our founding partners, Wakefern Food Corp., a retail cooperative, is the largest food donor to the FoodBank. Wakefern and the fifty member families that own and operate ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, Dearborn Market and The Fresh Grocer stores also provide leading financial support and engage thousands of employees in our volunteer efforts while bringing awareness to the issue of hunger in their stores.HELP AWARD
JUDY & JOSH WESTON
Judy and Josh Weston are two of the FoodBank’s most dedicated philanthropic leaders. For decades, their unwavering guidance has been instrumental in maximizing our impact as we nourish our hungry neighbors in need.HOPE AWARD
SUMMIT MEDICAL GROUP FOUNDATION AND SEVEN AGENCY PARTNERS
Our collaboration with Summit Medical Group Foundation on the pilot initiative – Food, Health and Hope: An Answer to Diabetes, helps clients with diabetes by providing a twelve month program offering health screenings, diabetes-friendly food and nutrition education. Agency partners being honored include: Father English Community Center; FOCUS: Hispanic Center for Community Development, Inc; House of Prayer Baptist Church Food Pantry; Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges; Salvation Army of Plainfield; SDA Church of the Oranges; Solid Rock Baptist Church Food Pantry.2018
Thanks to the event chairs, sponsors, and more than 450 attendees, the All New Blue Jean Ball raised more than $1.1 million to support CFBNJ’s mission! The event featured food truck fun with Premio Foods, Compass Group, Harvest Restaurant Group, and Stone Soup, our own on-site catering service. The formal program was emceed by Adam Sank of The Adam Sank Show and included dinner, an awards ceremony, comedy by Colin Jost (co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update), and an appearance by special guest Jon Bon Jovi. We are so grateful for our sponsors: JP Morgan Chase & Co, Appaloosa Management LP, and Nokota Management LP.
Congratulations again to our honorees:
FOOD AWARD
Goya Foods, Inc.
HELP AWARD
David Tepper, Founder & President of Appaloosa LP
HOPE AWARD
Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Prudential Financial, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Wakefern Food Corporation, Lafayette Elementary School, Kean University, Seton Hall Preparatory School, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Bob Griffin, Carol Haws, Betsey Bernhardt, and Nancy & John Shaw.