Palisades Park Siblings Create Free Meals Program Amidst COVID-19

PALISADES PARK, NJ — “My neighbors were hungry,” Neris Papoter, Palisades Park native and mother, said as she prepared to-go meals, “you never thought a kid in Palisades Park, which you’d think is a very wealthy town, would be hungry. But there are people who are in need: people who are immigrants.”

Papoter volunteers for Our Community Dinner Table, a nonprofit organization founded by siblings Sam Chong, 34, and Esther Chong, 31. On weekdays in the Palisades Park Library’s parking lot, volunteers package meals provided by local restaurants to give out on a first-come, first-serve basis. The program began as a way to support folks most vulnerable to the effect of COVID-19.

Over 56,000 residents within Bergen County are undocumented but pay over $68 million dollars in taxes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Palisades Park itself boasts a diverse population. According to Census Reporter 59% of Palisades Park residents are Asian while 28% and 20% of the population are Hispanic and White, respectively.

“We are seeing a lot of people who are Korean, especially older Korean generations,” Esther who is Korean herself, said, “contrary to what people think about undocumented immigrants, they are not receiving unemployment. They’re just cut off from their income. They cannot feed themselves or their children. In Palisades Park, there was no program that we knew of that could help.”

To adapt to residents’ needs, CDTable provides a choice of Korean, Spanish, or Italian food options and has made a separate pick-up line for families arriving with children. The Chongs modeled their operations off of Asbury Park Dinner Table, a similar meals program created out of necessity during COVID-19. Since early April, CDTable has served over 15,000 meals and has raised over $80,000 dollars.

Sam, owner of Casus Cases, had no experience in non-profit work before CDTable. However, he quickly learned the power of community building.

“The need wasn’t surprising,” Sam said, “what I was surprised about was how powerful this small group of people attracted so many other people. These people just make me want to work harder. It just makes me want to spread the love even more.”

The Chongs credit their success to volunteers, local restaurants, and organizations like Community of Friends in Action, Frontline Foods, 12 Baskets, and more. “They are an incredible brother and sister pair,” Palisades Park Mayor Christopher Chung, said in awe.

In the past months, the mayor has contributed his time and connections to support the Chongs’ cause. “With the donations we’ve received, we’ve been able to buy the meals to serve the community. It’s a cycle. It’s not just one way.”

The program allows for all boats to rise with the tide. Local restaurants have faced numerous challenges as Governor Phil Murphy slows reopening and indoor dining. “At first, no one knew what was going on: it was like panic,” Suly Estrada, co-owner of Guatemalan restaurant Cocina de Gaby, said, “We thought that the best decision was to close.”

Along with her sister and co-owner, Karla, the pair has been with CDTable since its inception, preparing over eighty meals a day during its peak. “We had two weeks of closing until Esther communicated with us,” Suly said, “It was a great opportunity to work and sustain ourselves, and the rent doesn’t stop. This has given us so much encouragement.”

Many have found the Chongs’ impact on the community very positive, creating a friendly space for new relationships to be made. Amy Alas, a longtime resident of Palisades Park and mother of five, has found solace in the program.

“We usually come early to be first in line. We look forward to it. It’s one less stress knowing we have dinner ready, and the kids enjoy the restaurant food.”

As CDTable ends its seventeenth consecutive week of operation, Sam and Esther have decided to take a pause starting Aug. 3 to focus on fundraising and long-term strategy for the fall and winter. With an emphasis on children’s needs, they plan to resume the program on Sept. 8. At the end of the day, the Chongs are humbled by their volunteers and their partnerships who’ve kept the program afloat. Sam notes on how the program has changed his perspective.

“I realized I don’t need to be a millionaire to make change,” Sam said, “All of these things are connected: how we vote, how we feed our community, how school boards are running, it’s all about public service, and our public service is only going to be as good as the people who are running it.”

Together with their dedicated volunteers, the Chongs have built a space for relief from the ground up. Papoter reflects on what the program has done for her on a personal level,

“I put my head on my pillow every night, feeling like I did something good for the community.”