Buy a Murphy bobblehead, help health care workers

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The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum said May 8 Gov. Phil Murphy joined its roster of officials immortalized in bobblehead form as part of a campaign to raise money for health care workers.

The Milwaukee-based organization said it will donate $5 from the sale of every bobblehead doll to the Protect the Heroes Fund and its 100 Million Mask Challenge. The dolls cost $25 and are available now for presale. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Phil Sklar said in a statement that the Bobblehead Hall of Fame has raised more than $200,000 from the sale of the dolls.

Murphy’s likeness is available along with those of seven other governors – California Gov. Gavin Newsom, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. All except DeWine are Democrats. In addition, bobbleheads of Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx are also available.

“With his state having the second-most coronavirus cases in the country behind New York, Murphy has been extra cautious in protecting the health, safety and welfare of all people in New Jersey,” Sklar said in the statement.

Along similar lines, the Caldwell-based Little Words Project, which offers handmade bracelets emblazoned with inspirational words and phrases, is donating 25 percent of the proceeds from the sale of items in its Hero Collection to Mask a Hero NY. The organization facilitates donations of personal protection equipment to front-line workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The bracelets start at $25.

Elsewhere, Verizon said it donated $1 million to the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, which was founded to assist vulnerable communities around the state.

“Our commitment to the state of New Jersey runs deep,” Hans Vestberg, Verizon chairman and CEO said in a statement. “With our global operations base and thousands of our employees and retirees proudly living here, we stand ready to support the local residents and continued efforts of the NJ Pandemic Relief Fund.”

The company said it has made more than $55 million in contributions and donations to nonprofit organizations working on pandemic relief around the world.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous grant from Verizon that will make a significant impact in addressing the urgent needs of our community, both now and in the weeks and months ahead, as we continue fighting this pandemic,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy, who founded NJPRF.

In addition, Campbell Soup Co. outlined the $484,000 in cash and food donations the company made as part of its COVID-19 response. The recipients include: $290,000 food donation to Philabundance; $70,000 cash and food donation to the Food Bank of South Jersey; $36,000 cash and food donation to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey; $25,000 cash donation to the Community Foundation of South Jersey; $21,250 cash donation to Cathedral Kitchen; $15,000 cash donation to Catholic Partnership Schools; $10,000 cash donation to Center for Family Services; $10,000 cash donation to Elijah’s Promise; and $7,400 product donation to the Salvation Army Kroc Center.

The company also said it contributed $100,000 to the NJPRF. Including its Community Impact Grants, Campbell has donated about $930,000 over the past two months to organizations serving New Jersey, according to the company.