Syosset company sponsors race to aid food bank


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Karen Sullivan of Long Island Cares, Tom Hall of EisnerAmper, Jean Chadderton, Suzanne Nelson of Greater Long Island Running Club, Nina McCann of Jaspan Schlesinger, Carl Grossbard of Greater Long Island Running Club, and Frank Capone of Greater Long Island Running Club

On Thursday July 14, there was a gathering at the EisnerAmper office in Syosset, NY to celebrate the life of a longtime runner and present a donation to Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank. The Neil Chadderton Memorial EisnerAmper 4 Mile Race to Feed Long Island was held on March 13 in Eisnenhower Park on an unusually blustery morning, even for a day on the cusp of spring. This year, 111 runners and walkers braved the sub-freezing temperatures to put their miles toward an amazing cause in the second year of this Greater Long Island Running Club event.

The first time this event was held was early 2021, when Long Islanders were struggling with the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. They could not feed their families – many were experiencing food insecurity for the first time and did not know where to begin in seeking aid. The Greater Long Island Running Club is not just an event management organization, it is also a 501c 3 nonprofit. It saw a need early in the pandemic and organized weekly food collections to donate to local pantries. GLIRC knew they could do more, however. “Getting back to racing” was also a primary GLIRC goal. Longtime Club member Neil Tipograph suggested that perhaps his firm, EisnerAmper, could sponsor a new running event and help put food back on the tables in our community. EisnerAmper is one of the largest accounting, tax, and business advisory firms in the U.S. and its headquarters are based in New York City. Larry Tenenbaum, a GLIRC member and partner of the Garden City, New York law firm, Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP, was able to connect GLIRC to the firm, and they also signed on with sponsorship. Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank was chosen as the charitable beneficiary. This organization strives for a “hunger-free Long Island,” and serves pantries Island-wide. A new event was born.

When Neil Chadderton, a Port Jefferson resident and well-loved member of the GLIRC community, passed away just weeks short of his 60th birthday in late 2021, it left a hole where so much joy had once been. He had always championed helping others in any way possible, and so renaming the EisnerAmper event in his honor was the only answer to justly serve his legacy.

The ceremony was short, but sweet and memorable. Frank Capone, the Club’s Board Treasurer Pro Tem and race director for this year’s event, presented Karen Sullivan, the Community Development Coordinator of Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank with a $5,000 check collected from the proceeds of the event. Jean Chadderton, Neil’s widow, also participated in the event as a walker. She attended the ceremony and was amazed at what runners were able to do to help the community. Suzanne Nelson, GLIRC’s General Manager, and Carl Grossbard, the Club’s Board President Pro Tem represented the Greater Long Island Running Club. Tom Hall, Director at EisnerAmper and Nina McCann, GLIRC member and Director of Business Development at Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP, attended to represent the event sponsors.

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