WFWP New Jersey Donates Meals to Doctors and Nurses

Written by Meadow Tallakson

During this challenging and unprecedented time, the Women’s Federation for World Peace New Jersey chapter coordinated a project to donate 100 meals to essential healthcare workers at the Hackensack University Medical Center, one of the hospitals dealing with the heaviest concentration of Covid-19 patients in the country. Claire Haider, co-chair of WFWP New Jersey and chairwoman of WFWP Paterson NJ, spearheaded the project, along with daughter Meadow Tallakson and their husbands Hubert Haider and Nikolas Tallakson.

With help from Mayor Bob Zimmermann of Carlstadt, New Jersey, they were able to connect to a local catering business, Elite Party Services. This catering company is owned and operated by John Speciale, who also owns a restaurant in town called Johnny’s Italian Kitchen. Mr. Speciale provided high quality individually wrapped meals of salad, chicken, pasta and other gourmet ingredients. Over the course of two days, he delivered 100 meals to the hardworking doctors, nurses and other medical staff at the hospital.

The project was funded by WFWP New Jersey as well as through individual contributions from Hubert and Claire Haider, Elizabeth Yamada, Cynthia Nakai, Soojin Lee, and Nikolas and Meadow Tallakson.

The staff at Hackensack University Medical Center were so grateful for the meals, many of them working long hours with not many breaks in between. Along with its own global and local projects, the New Jersey Chapter of WFWP has always been instrumental in seeking out and supporting those that are doing so much for others. The seamless collaboration between the nongovernmental organization, local officials and the local business contributing to the greater good brought a feeling of hope and unity as we navigate these difficult times.