Entertainers Step up to Sandy: Sarah Jessica Parker, Andy Cohen, Selena Gomez, Glenn Close, Kelly Ripa, Michael Strahan, Kardashians among Celebrities Donating Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences to Provide Food Relief to Hurricane Sandy Victims

HILLSIDE, N.J., Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanksgiving is just days away, and those residing in New Jersey and New York who struggled before Hurricane Sandy are under even greater stress to put food on the table this holiday season and beyond.  Many people are struggling simply to restock their refrigerators from what was lost in the storm.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) – the largest food bank in the state – has been working to feed those who might otherwise go without food, including families, seniors and children. The FoodBank, however, has experienced two-to-three times the need for help.  To help support its relief efforts and ensure that no one goes hungry, the CFBNJ announced today a partnership with celebrity auction venue CharityFolks.com.  One hundred percent of the proceeds raised from this partnership will go toward the CFBNJ and its New York-area partners.

The auction, which begins today on www.charityfolks.com/sandy, features experiences donated by luminaries to help people displaced and left hungry by the superstorm. Anyone can bid to win auction items, which include:

• Join Sarah Jessica Parker & Andy Cohen for Dinner at Blue Hill in New York City
• Meet Selena Gomez on the Set of Her Upcoming Music Video Shoot
• Create Chatter when Glenn Close Records your Personal Voicemail Message
• Have An Unforgettable Night of Illusion with David Blaine at his Private NYC Studio
• Get Styled by Kim & Kourtney Kardashian at Dash in NYC
• Be Enlightened with an Impossible-to-Get Private Reading with Renowned Psychic John Edward
• Meet Kelly Ripa & Michael Strahan with VIP Tickets to a Taping of Live! with Kelly & Michael
• Have Breakfast with NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer & Privately Tour the Exchange
• Lunch with legendary author Judy Blume and an aspiring writer
• Indulge in Lunch at the Food Network's Kitchen at Chelsea Market & Tour the Studio
• Meet Renowned American Blues Singer-Songwriter Bonnie Raitt with VIP Tickets to her Show

Others participating in the auction, include: Nicole Kidman, Billy Baldwin, Derek Jeter, Jackson Browne, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Chelsea Handler, among others.

"In normal times, one in five New Jersey children go to bed hungry and 1.6 million New Yorkers struggle to put food on their tables," actor and CharityFolks.com spokesman Billy Baldwin said. "These are not normal times. Millions have lost power – many have lost their homes and belongings – and it continues to get colder. This initiative will have an immediate and profound impact on the families who have suffered the most."

The need, however, continues to be great, and more donations are being sought. Companies and high-profile individuals interested in donating an item or experience for an auction to benefit victims can contact Kelly Fiore, CEO of Charity Folks, by email at [email protected].

CharityFolks.com hosted a similar auction in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, raising $650,000 that was deployed within weeks of the disaster.

The largest food bank in New Jersey, the CFBNJ has worked tirelessly since Hurricane Sandy hit, distributing more than 100,000 pounds of food daily. As the chair organization for New Jersey Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NJVOAD), the FoodBank has helped to coordinate aid throughout the state, including local and emergency shelters, food pantries and its traditional distribution network.

About Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ)

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, a member of Feeding America, distributed close to 40 million pounds of food in the last year, to help feed 900,000 people in need in 18 of New Jersey's 21 counties. Its staff and volunteers provide food, help and hope through the distribution of food and grocery products, by education and training, and by creating new programs to meet the needs of low-income people. The Community FoodBank recently earned Charity Navigator's highest honor, a four-star rating, for the fourth consecutive year.

About CharityFolks.com

CharityFolks.com is an online marketplace for high-profile charity auctions where celebrities, brands and individuals come together to support causes they are passionate about. Charity Folks has raised more than $25 million for charity auctioning unique experiences like the rights to name a new species of monkey, the chance to be Lady Gaga's roadie, a private meet-and-greet with "The Boss," an on-stage duet with The Jonas Brothers & much more! Charity Folks has partnered with The Community FoodBank of New Jersey to host an online auction to raise money for the thousands of people who have been displaced by Hurricane Sandy and are hungry and without food. 100% of every dollar raised from the auction will immediately be deployed to help feed hungry families in New Jersey and the Greater New York area. Charity Folks hosted a similar online relief auction in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and raised $650,000 for The Red Cross within weeks of the disaster.

SOURCE Community FoodBank of New Jersey