Medina and Maradonna unit to fight hunger

Real Estate Weekly, Feb 7, 2007

Two longtime residents and well-known community leaders of Southern New Jersey are serving as cochairs of a $3.5 million capital campaign to build a permanent facility for Camden's Cathedral Kitchen.

Gualberto "Gil" Medina, former secretary of commerce for the state of New Jersey, and current executive managing director for Cushman and Wakefield, and Rory "Cal" Maradonna, associate provost for campus development for Rutgers University in Camden, joined in an effort to give back to Camden.

The capital campaign, "A Home for the Cathedral Kitchen" is a huge step in helping Camden's residents. After operating in loaned spaces for 30 years and enduring seven moves, Cathedral Kitchen will finally have its first permanent home in three decades at 1514 Federal Street. Services will include an expanded meal program to seven days a week and space for necessary support services for many of Camden's residents, such as job training, laundry facilities, health and dental care and life skills and health-related workshops for the community.

"We are thrilled that two well-known personalities with deep Camden connections have volunteered to co-chair the 'A Home for the Cathedral Kitchen' capital campaign," said executive director, Karen Talarico. "With a permanent home for Cathedral Kitchen, we will be able to better serve Camden citizens."

Medina and Maradonna first met as students at Rutgers University 30 years ago. The cause is compelling, they both agree, and it is the quality of people involved in the project that motivated them to lead the effort to help Cathedral Kitchen. Medina's family moved to the US from Puerto Rico when he was a child, and he has fond memories of growing up in Camden. He notes, "New Jersey is one of the wealthiest places in the world--not just the country--and it strikes me that there are still so many people in this state who struggle to make ends meet. We should be inspired by Mother Teresa who reminded us that, 'We are not called upon to succeed; but to be faithful.'"

Maradonna has worked at Rutgers for 32 years, he said, "All the people who come to this city and use its resources should think about helping to make this dream happen."

The co-chairs are optimistic that Cathedral Kitchen will break ground for the new facility in 2007.

For more information contact Karen Talarico at 856-964-6771 or karentalarico@verizon.net.