The third annual Hoboken Volunteers Chili Cook-Off for a Cause, scheduled for Feb. 25, will benefit the Hoboken charity HOPES and Community Action Partnership, Inc.’s adult services programs. The organizers are hoping that more chili chefs will step forward to put their recipes to the test.
Hoboken Volunteers organizes the event annually. Hoboken Councilman Tim Occhipinti is the founder of the organization.
“Three years ago my roommate at the time and I started making chili in the apartment,” Occhipinti said. “We were talking about whose is better. We had wanted to do a fundraiser for Hoboken Volunteers with a theme, and this was the perfect fit.”
The contest will be held at the Elks’ Lodge, located at 1005 Washington St. on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Last year, the fundraiser brought in approximately $3,000 for the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund, which contributed to the medical bills of a Rutgers football player who was paralyzed during a game in 2010.
Occhipinti said the Chili Cook Off is now “the signature event” for the organization.
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In the first year, approximately $1,000 was raised for the Red Cross’ efforts in Haiti following the massive earthquake that rocked the island nation.
Beer makers welcome, too
The 2012 fundraiser will include a home-brew contest for amateur beer makers.
“We had a few home brewers at our last Hoboken Volunteers event and the beer was fantastic,” Occhipinti said. “These are taken really seriously and will be an added feature to this year’s fundraiser.”
Where’s the money going?
Marisa Musachio, the director of program operations at HOPES (Hoboken Organization against Poverty and Economic Stress), said the fundraiser will benefit the group’s adult services programs.
“Through this program, low income clients will achieve personal, professional, and educational self-sufficiency goals,” Musachio said. She added that the programs include teaching computer literacy, financial education, and a class on life skills.
Occhipinti said part of the decision to help HOPES this year came from the fact that the local non-profit organization has lost funding.
“Like other organizations that receive state, federal, and other funding through small grants, this has been a challenging year,” Musachio said. “Something like the chili cookoff is really beneficial to us. It allows us to continue to serve the community.”
She continued: “Our mission as a non-profit is to provide services to low-income individuals and help them build their self sufficiency levels. Federal programs like Head Start and other state-funded programs help us provide adult and youth services. There are also programs that we provide that don’t have a dedicated funding stream. We will actively pursue grants to help us maintain those programs.”
For more information about HOPES, visit Hopes.org.
The judges for this year’s contest are Peter Genovese, the Star Ledger reporter known for the famous Munchmobile, and Anthony Pino, the owner of Bin14 and Anthony David’s. A third judge will soon be announced, Occhipinti said.
The cost is $25 per ticket, and Hoboken Volunteers is still looking for people to register their chili for the contest.
About Hoboken Volunteers
Hoboken Volunteers was founded in 2009 and is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
“Our goal is to be the source for people looking to volunteer in Hoboken,” Occhipinti said. “People can go to our site, see all the different organizations that require assistance of volunteers…we also run a few events per year to give money back into the community.”
Examples include volunteering at the homeless shelter, becoming involved with Habitat for Humanity in Hudson County, and helping out with volunteer opportunities at Hoboken Grace Church.
Occhipinti said the Chili Cook Off is now “the signature event” for the organization.
For more information about Hoboken Volunteers, or to register for the event, visit HobokenVolunteers.com.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com