South Jersey’s business community united for a massive show of civic support on Tuesday. The SJ Chamber Foundation (SJCF) and the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) completed their most successful bi-annual Day of Service to date, deploying more than 100 member volunteers and Chamber staff to eight regional nonprofit organizations.
The event stands as the largest single-day volunteer mobilization in the Chamber’s history. It brought together representatives from more than 40 member businesses, ranging from local entrepreneurs and specialty retail shops to the region’s largest employers in health
Volunteers contributed thousands of combined hours across South Jersey, focusing their efforts on critical regional pillars like food security, youth education, veterans’ support and community development.
The eight regional nonprofits receiving volunteer aid included:
- Cathedral Kitchen & The Food Bank of South Jersey (Addressing food insecurity)
- Junior Achievement of New Jersey & Ranch Hope (Supporting youth development and education)
- Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey (Assisting families experiencing medical crises)
- Battleship New Jersey (Preserving regional veteran history)
- Center for Aquatic Sciences (Supporting marine science education)
- Social Responsibility Through Me (Aiding local community development)
“Our members always show up—for their customers, their employees, and today, for their community,” Christina Renna, president & CEO of CCSNJ, said. “Over 100 volunteers across eight nonprofits is a record for us, and South Jersey should be proud.”
Organizers noted that this year’s iteration saw an unprecedented level of early engagement and enthusiasm from the workforce.
“This one was different. People didn’t just sign up. They came ready to work,” Mackenzie Wildermuth, CCSNJ’s Director of Internal Operations, said. Wildermuth coordinated the regional event. “We’ve done this before, but not like this… I think it says a lot about the culture this Chamber has built.”
The collaborative effort also allowed business leaders to step directly into mentorship roles, particularly at sites focusing on education and economic literacy.
“When business leaders sit down with students and talk honestly about careers and opportunity, it changes something,” James Horne, Jr., president & CEO of Junior Achievement of New Jersey said. “We’re grateful to CCSNJ and their members for showing up today—not just to volunteer, but to connect and help students grow their network.”
The record-setting spring turnout reflects strong momentum for the CCSNJ and its 501(c)(3) foundation, which collectively represent over 1,200 businesses and 200 nonprofit organizations across South Jersey’s southern and central counties.
With the first half of the yearly program wrapped up, organizers are already looking ahead. The second bi-annual Day of Service is officially scheduled for October 13. Chamber leadership is actively encouraging more member businesses to pledge volunteer hours, while inviting additional regional nonprofits to apply as partner service sites.
