Neighbors-helping-Neighbors in Boston

The after-shocks of the Boston Marathon explosions are still being felt here in New Jersey. Neighbors-helping-Neighbors (NhN), a New Jersey based program founded by John Fugazzie of River Edge, ironically has only one group that meets outside of New Jersey--Boston.

As a result of last week's devastating explosions, the Boston branch of Neighbors-helping-Neighbors had to suspend its meeting inside the Boston Public Library Central Branch at Copley Square, directly across the street from where the explosions occurred, Fugazzie told Patch.  

"Our meeting was canceled in Boston last Wednesday and we will restart up tonight (Wednesday) as we need to get life back on track," Fugazzie said. "Our job seekers need this return to their job campaigns, too."

Since its inception in January 2011, NhN has been providing job search support and networking meetings to those affected by the economy who are actively seeking re-employment. The group has grown from five members who met in the River Edge Library to nearly 1000, with new locations being added.

"It is ironic that the NhN group, which has only one meeting outside of New Jersey, holds weekly meetings in the very library branch across from the horrible act of last week," Fugazzie said, referring to the dual explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Remembering all the support that the country gave to the New York-New Jersey area during 9-11 and Superstorm Sandy, Fugazzie said that as the news about Boston spread last week, he was swamped with emails from members of the "strongly connected group" who wanted to reach out to the Boston members to offer their support.

Feeling strongly that the group do something to recognize the members of the Boston group and their resilience, Fugazzie designed a plaque that will be presented to the Boston Library on May 1st.  


"My youngest son Tyler, a Business Communications major who is graduating from The College of New Jersey this May, wrote the words that appear on the plaque," Fugazzie said.

Fugazzie is actively seeking to expand the reach of NhN and credits corporate recruiter, Abby Kohut, known as "Absolutely Abby," with helping him find volunteers for setting up NhN chapters across the country with Boston being the first branch outside of New Jersey to open.

NhN USA was established on January 2, 2013 in the Kirstein Business Library  at the Boston Public Library Central Branch on Copley Square.

"Abby recruited volunteer leaders for us--John Spadaccini and Becky Moore who landed a job within a month of our meetings at the Boston Pubic Library," Fugazzie said. 

Spadaccini is currently the local regional volunteer leader for NhN Boston.

In the 26 months since Fugazzie founded NhN in River Edge, the group has helped 275 people land jobs.

Fugazzie said that he is opening up the first NhN meeting group on the campus of Montclair State University on May 1. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

According to Fugazzie, by the end of May NhN will have grown to 29 meeting locations. 

Click here to visit the Neighbors-helping-Neighbors web site for more information. 

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