EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange Campus High School alumnus and Super Bowl Champion Rasul Douglas, of the Philadelphia Eagles, is scheduled to host a Back to School Community Giveback on Friday, Aug. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the East Orange Fire Department’s Firehouse 2 at 60 Main St. The event has been organized in conjunction with Mayor Ted Green, the East Orange Fire Department and the Young Professionals of East Orange.
According to East Orange firefighter Akeem Cunningham, who is a member of the YPEO, the Community Giveback is open to every child in East Orange. He also said it will feature free food, music, games, giveaways, book bags and more.
The YPEO was founded by Cunningham, Casim E. Gomez, Ajah Baldwin, Kaylan Jones and Marquis Salley. In the past, it organized community-oriented events, including the East Orange Fire Department’s “Bridging the Gap” party and the “Vision Board Party” at the East Orange Public Library during Women’s History Month. Both events were in April.
The YPEO also was at the Oranges-Maplewood NAACP’s 105th annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet at the Wilshire Caterers in West Orange on Sunday, April 29, where East Orange Democratic Committee and Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Leroy Jones was honored. The group also announced its support of Green and his “One city, one community with one goal that is progress” initiative to revitalize East Orange.”
Cunningham, who just bought his first home in the city’s 5th Ward, is known for giving back to the community, as is Douglas, whose Akeem Cares nonprofit organization hosts annual parties for single mothers.
“We actually took the time to buy a building in our city at the last city auction,” said Cunningham on Sunday, April 29. “That was imperative, because, when you come to our city, there are so many people buying up property who don’t look like us and it’s about time that we need to buy our block back and show people that we can reinvest in our community and we want to uplift our community. So we didn’t want to leave the ‘hood or go somewhere else or invest somewhere else. We believe in Mayor Green and what he’s doing in the city of East Orange and we want to help him build up East Orange as well.”
Green said he appreciates the support from the YPEO and he’s glad to see young people stepping up and taking a leadership role in the city.
“Our Young Professionals of East Orange here have been doing an outstanding job. They’re our young people that have really gotten involved in civics and the community,” said Green on Saturday, March 17. “We’ve got some young people on it that really want to see our community grow. They’ve been a stellar organization in the community for the last two years and, going forward, I want to work with them as mayor and help them do whatever it takes to succeed, for the city and the community’s sake.”
For more information about Douglas’ Community Giveback, send an email to youngprofessionalseo@gmail.com or call Cunningham at 973-609-8196.
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