At Jenni's Toys, our dedicated team of volunteers embodies the spirit of generosity that keeps our mission alive. Their hard work and unwavering commitment allow us to continue bringing joy to children in need, especially those with special needs, just as Jenni would have wished. Every hour they give and every effort they make is a vital part of the lifeblood of our nonprofit, and for that, we are forever grateful. Their passion and kindness inspire us all, making a lasting impact on the lives of countless families.
BRUCE JONES
FOUNDER + CEO
Bruce Jones is a Woodbridge resident who lives with his wife Kelly, sons Jake, Tyler. Ryan and dog Chloe. Bruce is a 2010 Rutgers graduate and works as the Logistics Manager for Fujitsu General America Inc. Bruce, along with his wife Kelly, founded Jenni's Toys in 2012 after Superstorm Sandy. Bruce also serves as the President of the Clark Kiwanis Club and secretary of the Ocean County chapter of the Compassionate Friends. Outside of work and volunteering, Bruce enjoys traveling, food and spending time with people he loves.
KELLY SULLIVAN-JONES
Kelly Sullivan-Jones is a Woodbridge resident and lives with her husband Bruce, sons Jake, Ryan, Tyler and dog Chloe. Kelly is one of the founders of Jenni's Toys and has been a practicing licensed occupational therapist since 2013. Kelly is a Kean alumna who received a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2013. Kelly earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Psychology from Rutgers University in 2010.
Creating community programming for underserved populations is a passion of Kelly’s. She has received numerous grants and worked with varying agencies in NJ to provide wellness and rehabilitation services to populations and people of need. Giving back through non profit work not only helps build a stronger community, but also allows Kelly to teach her children about charity and community service.
MARIA CANALES
Maria Canales is a Jersey City native, Rutgers Alum and lifelong volunteer. Her commitment to community service led Maria to begin helping Jenni’s Toys in 2015 when it was housed at Papa Grande (Bruce’s family restaurant). Over the last 9 years Maria has raised over $8K in monetary donations, countless toy donations and continues to raise awareness to the cause year after year. Last year we sponsored 15 local Jersey City families and looking forward to doing the same this year!
LAUREN VACCA
Lauren Vacca is Bruce’s self-proclaimed little sister and honored to be a part of Jenni’s Toys for her fifth year. Lauren is a graduate from JMU but first and foremost a TR South grad (Indians for life!). She has been doing marketing & PR for tarte cosmetics for 7 years where her favorite part of her job is working for tarte’s 501(c)3 heart to tarte & of course spreading the joy of beauty from within! If Lauren isn’t working, she’s either watching Harry Potter with her husband or finding the best @chocolatecakearoundtheworld.
NICOLE ARDEN
Nicole Arden is a Toms River resident and has been a licensed loan officer with Glendenning Mortgage for over 10 years. Nicole served as President of Kiwanis of Greater Toms River in 2020-2021 and is currently serving as Secretary of her club, as well as serving as a Past President and a current member of Extended Arms. Nicole is passionate about helping people and being kind while doing so and has been involved with Jenni's Toys for 5 years now. She believes she inherited these values from her late father whom she was extremely close with. Between her career of helping people obtain financing for their homes and giving back to the community through charity work, Nicole is always on the go! In her down time, she enjoys traveling and going out on her boat with her husband Paul, and their Cockapoo, Lucky.
KIMBERLY FAZZINI
Kimberly is a long-time Toms River local with strong ties to our community. Kimberly is a proud Alumna of the Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work, the Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Ocean County College, & Toms River High School North. During her years of education & clinical hours, Kimberly served with the ReBuild NJ Americorps Program. Through this service, she organized dozens of volunteers and provided direct hands-on relief to our community members recovering from Superstorm Sandy. Kimberly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years of experience in health-care & community based settings. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, going to Rutgers basketball games (Go Knights!), and going to enjoy live music. Kimberly has been involved with Jenni’s Toys since it’s inception in 2012.
JEREMY PELLEGRINO
Jeremy Pellegrino is a 23 year old New Brunswick resident who is in his last year at Rutgers University. Jeremy is studying economics and is the acting treasurer for Jenni's Toys. Jeremy has been involved with Jenni's Toys since its inception in 2012. Jeremy enjoys traveling, eating out, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.
ALEX MIZENKO
Alex Mizenko is excited to now be in his second year on the Board of Jenni's Toys. Alex received a Masters of Public Health from Columbia University and is currently the Senior Director of Data Analytics at a healthcare non-profit. He's as passionate about community service as he is about his work, having served as Vice President of the Toms River Regional Schools Board of Education and as a Past President and Lieutenant Governor for Kiwanis International. He is currently the Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Toms River and a member of the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council at Community Medical Center. In his down time, Alex enjoys the outdoors, breweries, and cheering on the Mets and Devils.
CHERYL MARCHESE
Cheryl Marchese, cousin of Jenni and Bruce, is a seasoned branding and marketing expert with 25 years of experience. As the founder of 325, a digital marketing agency, Cheryl is dedicated to helping businesses grow their presence and impact. Cheryl brings a personal touch to her professional endeavors. She is passionate about making a difference and especially loves collaborating with non-profit organizations to amplify their missions and drive positive change in the community.