You Can Eat Pancakes At This Kiwanis Fundraiser To Support Jersey City Youth

Courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Jersey City / Facebook.

Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored post.

An RSVP for Kiwanis’ Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at Brightside Tavern will get you this: savory bacon, fluffy eggs—or however you like them—warm pancakes and accompanying coffee or tea, among other things you’ll have to wait to see.

The nonprofit club’s fundraiser on Saturday, May 3 runs a much deeper meaning than a stacked plate; the funds will go towards youth programs throughout Jersey City.

According to Gina Verdibello, the vice president of the Jersey City Kiwanis club, a seat at the breakfast means you’re investing in your local community and helping those who nurture and assist the next generation.

“We do this every year, so it’s a nice way of connecting with people that support us and also look for new people to join because the club right now is not as big as it could be… We’re trying to also create awareness that we [Kiwanis] are still here,” Verdibello told Slice of Culture. 

“We need to keep [Kiwanis’ mission] going for the next generation.” 

How Does The Fundraiser Work?

The Kiwanis Club of Jersey City, the nonprofit group hosting the breakfast, has been around “a very long time.” It’s a chapter of an international organization that aims to “be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.” 

The Jersey City club runs this breakfast fundraiser every year. A spot at the breakfast fundraiser costs $30 and will come with a full breakfast including pancakes, bacon, eggs, coffee, tea and more early day essentials.

The annual event can be reserved by anyone in the public, and those interested can do so by emailing [email protected]. It’ll run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at downtown Jersey City staple eaterie Brightside Tavern, located at 141 Bright Street.

Thanking Those Who Help The Youth

Additionally, Kiwanis partners with Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union every year to give a complimentary award for the city’s district Teacher of the Year, which will also be revealed in May. Last year, Ferris High School world language teacher Susan Teira-Vizcaya was selected as the city’s school district Teacher of the Year, along with other Hudson County town’s also making their picks.

“This Kiwanis Club likes to support the teachers in the district. [The awardee] will get invited to our June meeting where we present them with a check and thank them for their service,” Verdibello said.

The awardee will receive a check for $1,000 from Kiwanis, which could be used for classroom supplies or other supplementary education purposes. In New Jersey, teachers spend roughly $471.74 of their own money—without any form of reimbursement—to provide school supplies for their students, but with today’s price hikes, cuts to federal funding for education and an overall slash to Jersey City’s education budget, the out-of-pocket expenses could be more. 

“… A lot of times our teachers are already paying out of pocket for stuff for their classrooms. So this is a way of saying, ‘Hey, we wanna help you, keep doing the great work that you’re doing and here’s a little something to get you to the next year,” the vice president added.

Kiwanis Wants To Create More Impact, But Needs Help

Verdibello, who joined the club in 2022, explained that though Jersey City’s chapter has been running for a long time, they’re currently a small cohort of people. 

The vice president painted aspirations of hosting backpack drives and collaborations with other local organizations, but they don’t have the bandwidth to do it. And aside from having more hands on deck, Verdibello said diversifying their member population would also help bring in more perspectives.

“There are probably organizations that you know about that I don’t know about that we could be helping…,” she added. “I think it would be great to [be] more diverse in the sense of what we’re doing.” 

“… Our group total is not that very many [and] a lot of people are eventually gonna fade out and then what’s left?”

Still, Kiwanis has recently begun working with Team Wilderness, York Street Project and Peace Care. They also support youth leadership programs like key clubs in high schools and builders’ clubs in middle schools, which are both student-ran service-based clubs.

“As part of the global network of Kiwanis service providers we aim to improve the lives of children one child at a time,” Jersey City Kiwanis President Migdalia Viole noted.

Viole added that the Jersey City chapter also welcomes youth groups to contact them and make presentations for ideas on how to collaborate.

At the end of the day, Kiwanis wants to continue doing its work for Jersey City and contributing to any other fellow service organization. This year, they are focused on tackling youth homelessness and have worked on partnering with Team Wilderness, St. Joseph’s School for the Blind, Peace Care and York Street Project, which would all provide different opportunities and resources to the local youth.

“Donations are the key to showing that we care. We care about our kids and we care about you. And we wanna show our appreciation for all that work and that’s the real reason why a lot of people should come [to Saturday, May 3]… I think it’s a really good opportunity to show that Kiwanis is all about the youth and the people that are teaching the youth [are] really important.” 

For information on the fundraiser or how to get involved, you can email [email protected] or visit their Facebook page here.