John Kennedy’s connection to CFBNJ is as personal as it is professional.
“I first learned about the FoodBank when Kathleen DiChiara was driving around in her station wagon, picking up food,” John recalled. “My mom met her while she worked at a local grocery store, and that’s how my relationship with CFBNJ started.”
John’s memories of his mother, who raised him and his siblings alone after the sudden passing of his father, are intertwined with his understanding of hunger and generosity.
“My mom would eat just a baked potato some days, and even though we didn’t have much, she would still insist on giving back. She’d say, ‘That’s for the people who need it,’ when we collected food for the FoodBank.”
This lesson in giving back has shaped John’s entire life. He became a dedicated Boy Scout, organizing food drives with his troop.
“It became a habit,” he said with a smile. “We ran food drives all the time, and some troops still do scouting for food.”
His passion for community service continued into adulthood, where he brought the same drive to his own business and to his work with NJMEP, an organization that partners with CFBNJ to provide meals through virtual food drives.
Over the years, John’s involvement with CFBNJ grew deeper. “We collected over two million meals,” he shares proudly, a testament to his enduring commitment to the cause.
His relationship with Kathleen, the founder of CFBNJ, evolved from a childhood connection to a professional collaboration.
“She reminded me a lot of my mom,” John said. “Kathleen never backed down. She stood up and made her point, always in a professional and respectful manner.”
One of John’s fondest memories is sitting next to Kathleen at board meetings for the Park Avenue Foundation: “She was fearless,” he recalled. “She would say something under her breath to me, making me laugh, but when it came time to speak up, she was direct and firm. She knew how to get things done, and I admired that.”
Reflecting on his decades of involvement, John remains deeply committed to CFBNJ’s mission.
“I don’t understand why anyone in this country should be hungry,” he said. “But what I do know is that we can’t just talk about it—we have to do something about it. That’s what my mom always said: If you don’t give back, you don’t get any more.”
For John, the work isn’t just about solving hunger.
“It’s about helping people get the training and opportunities they need to lift themselves up. Hunger isn’t just about food, it’s about income, access to education, and childcare. It’s all connected,” he said.
As he looks to the future, John’s vision for CFBNJ is clear: “We need to act, and we need to take responsibility as citizens. It’s our job to help those in need, just like my mom taught me all those years ago.”
