A summer fund-raising campaign at Citarella markets on the South Fork brought in $126,680 for the East End Fund for Children, which supports seven child-centered nonprofits here.
The final tally was revealed at the Bridgehampton Citarella last Thursday, where the gourmet markets' owner, Joe Gurrera, gathered with local officials including State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, County Legislator Ann Welker, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore, and East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and representatives of the nonprofits that benefited from the effort.
“At Citarella, community is everything — and we are proud to call the East End home," Mr. Gurrera said in a release. This was the fourth year that his markets have supported the East End Fund for Children through tote bag sales and a round-up campaign that raise "money that will make a difference" to children and families here, he said. Beneficiaries include the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center, the Children's Museum of the East End, the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, Project Most, the Retreat, I-Tri, and the Southampton Youth Association, nonprofits that provide mental health support, educational and recreational programming, counseling, and food to those in need.
The East End Fund for Children was created during the pandemic as a way for the member organizations to collaborate to better serve children here.
"We are honored to be part of a collective that not only amplifies our efforts but also cultivates lasting change together," Andrea Dozier Nartey, executive cirector of the Southampton Youth Association, said in a release.
The gathering in Bridgehampton also offered an opportunity for those present to thank Assemblyman Thiele, who is retiring from government after decades serving the East End.