New Providence Business and PTA Leaders Meet

Leaders from New Providence PTA organizations and local business owners met on April 18 to discuss how they can partner together to help the community.

Businesses have long been supporters of school events, fundraisers, and programs, and students and their families are patrons of local businesses, so strengthening the relationship between the two groups makes sense. 

“We wanted to make it easier for school groups to get support for their events,” said Michelle Brugger, President of the New Providence Business Association and owner of .  “By establishing personal relationships with each other, it makes it easier for them to call us when they have an event or program that needs support.  Rather than going from store to store, they can make one call, and we can marshal our resources to help them.  At the same time, we can contact them when we have programs or events in town that benefit students and their families.”

The two organizations agreed to share their annual event calendars so that they can coordinate programs and opportunities. 

“We are happy to be working with the New Providence business community,” said Bernadette Cuccaro, incoming PTA President at .  “They have always been such strong supporters of all the events that we have in our schools.  We are pleased that we can help them in return.  It is important that families understand how much the New Providence businesses give to our schools and our kids.”

In addition to sharing calendars and contact information, the groups will work together to plan a town wide event for families. 

“The more we can support our local businesses, the more they can support us,” Cuccaro said. 

Those in attendance at the meeting include: Jimmy Vardas, owner of ; Joe Savino, owner of ; Michelle Brugger, owner of ; Cindy Reis, Public Information Officer for New Providence; Bernadette Cuccaro, Incoming PTA President, ; Allison Smith, Salt Brook School; Lana Boyle, VP of Fundraising,; and Linda DeGeorge, VP of Fundraising, .