Isiah Christie 
This month, Hoboken locals have started a series of weekly lunch drives in honor of Jen Giattino, a former Hoboken City Council member and Council President. Jen was beloved by her constituents, working hard and advocating for the community’s underserved, as noted by the organizers. Now, in her honor, lunch drives will be held during November to benefit The Hoboken Shelter. This week’s event will be at the Sinatra Drive Soccer field. Continue reading for more information on November’s weekly lunch drives and how to get involved in Hoboken.
Jen Giattino passed away one year ago, and was long known for starting the LOTS (Lunch on the Students) program when her oldest son, now a college graduate, was at the Kaplan nursery school. This program spread across many schools in Hoboken, and countless parents took part by packing their kids an extra sandwich over the years.
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Ellen Marcus-Azzolini, one of Jen’s friends who was present for the first days of the LOTS program, wanted to honor Jen’s memory of giving. “Now, more than ever, it’s important that we help feed those who cannot afford to do so themselves and teach our children the lessons of charity and kindness, qualities that Jen embodied and spread throughout Hoboken,” Ellen said about the initiative. The drives are part of a larger effort focusing on Jen’s legacy which will involve many different ways of giving to the efforts Jen loved most.
The inaugural event was on Saturday, November 8th, at Elysian Park. Locals gathered to pack ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the shelter, which was appreciative of the lunchtime donation. The next lunch drive will be held on Saturday, November 15th, from 10 AM to 12 PM at Sinatra Park Soccer Field. Attendees will help make sandwiches. Donations including lunch meats such as turkey, ham, or bologna, are greatly appreciated. Those with interest or further questions are encouraged to contact Ellen at [email protected].
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