Lakeland Bank employees donates to Make-A-Wish Foundation

OAK RIDGE — Colleagues at Lakeland Bank donated more than $2,900 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey as their charity of choice in March. The employees, who donated $10 for the month for the privilege to wear jeans on Friday, chose the foundation to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

"I am proud that my colleagues support organizations for children such as Make-A-Wish that strive to provide a positive experience for thousands of children suffering from serious life-threatening illnesses," stated Thomas J. Shara, president and chief executive officer of Lakeland Bank. "The experience for the wish child and their family certainly helps improve their quality of life while dealing with their medical condition."

Make-A-Wish New Jersey has brought hope, strength and joy to more than 7,400 seriously-ill children throughout all 21 counties since 1983. The foundation grants wishes to medically eligible children between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 years old. A wish is the child's answer to the question, "If you could have one wish, what would it be?" Learn more about how children answer that question and how wishes are granted at nj.wish.org.

The donation was distributed among offices in Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties.