J&L Cos. and Sordoni Construction Co. recently partnered with Newark’s CCP Church to collect and distribute hundreds of toys, art materials and books to more than 50 children who attend the congregation’s daycare program. — Courtesy: J&L
By Joshua Burd
A development team in Newark has partnered with a local church to collect and distribute hundreds of toys, art materials and books to dozens of children in the city.
J&L Cos., the family-owned real estate firm with deep ties to Newark, joined Sordoni Construction Co. recently to host the holiday toy drive in coordination with CCP Church. More than 50 children who attend the church’s daycare program benefited, thanks to an effort that involved the project team for J&L’s new 403-unit apartment building in the city’s Ironbound section.
Central to that effort was the participation of staff, subcontractors, vendors and design professionals affiliated with the developer and Sordoni, the general contractor for what’s known as 55 Union.
“As a local developer and long-term stakeholder in the Ironbound neighborhood, J&L Companies is honored to partner with CCP because they play such a vital role supporting families and children in our community,” said Gabriel Lopez, vice president of J&L. “We are grateful for the ways in which our project team stepped up to contribute and are currently exploring other ideas and partnerships to create impact by providing meaningful support to local organizations doing important work like the CCP. This is just the beginning.”
A neighbor of 55 Union, the CCP plays an important role in the Newark community, serving families through a variety of social programs, according to a news release. J&L said Wednesday that it has plans for future partnerships with the church, including providing facility improvements, organizing events for children and assisting with their needs.
“We are excited to be part of such a joyful opportunity to give back to the community and the children during the holiday season,” said Seth Levy, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Sordoni. “We would also like to thank everyone who participated and donated to this wonderful cause.”
When complete, 55 Union will be a 12-story rental property with about 3,200 square feet of retail space, all of it just two blocks from Newark Penn Station. J&L broke ground on 55 Union this past March and is slated to deliver the building in summer 2023.
“From its very beginning, the vision of CCP church is to be a congregation that is faithful to the Bible and relevant to the city of Newark,” CCP Church Senior Pastor Renato D. Bernardes said. “In that regard, the children in our community have been a major focus of all our programs and activities. We are delighted to have our ‘neighbors’ J&L Companies coming alongside us and providing meaningful support as we continue to serve our community, as we say, ‘for the glory of God and the joy of others!’”
CCP Church has additional toys for children who may be in need during the holiday season. For further information, contact kezia@ccpnewark.com or brenda@jlcos.com.
