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Dr. Taji Karim-Reisch Thrilled to Share Excitement About The Garden Party
As co-chair of The Garden Party, the largest community fundraising event of the year for Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB), Dr. Taji Karim-Reisch can summarize her role in one word – excitement!
“I am most passionate about developing excitement, building community, and being a champion for the event,” said Taji, a long-time mental health practitioner who joined the NFSB Board of Trustees in 2021. “I love the public relations and promotion part of it – talking to healthcare colleagues and local small businesses about The Garden Party and NFSB.”
Garden Party Details
The Garden Party will be held Saturday, September 14 from 4 pm – 7 pm at the spectacular Mountsier-Hardie Garden at 205 Rutgers Place in Nutley. Tickets are just $75 in advance ($85 at the door) and can be purchased through the Garden Party page on our website. The event will feature an eclectic mix of live entertainment with catering by Mamma Vittoria. All proceeds benefit NFSB programs.
Taji is thrilled to share that The Hudson Rose, the recently renovated fine dining restaurant in the heart of Nutley, will cater the first-ever VIP experience at The Garden Party. VIP tickets priced at $150 will provide guests with early access to the Mountsier-Hardie Garden for an exclusive reception with premium refreshments from The Hudson Rose.
Taji and NFSB
As a mental health practitioner, Taji has always been a big believer in the NFSB mission and its programs, and her message about The Garden Party has been very well-received in the healthcare community.
“People who I work with are excited to talk about the intersections between mental health, poverty, and challenges faced by different populations,” Taji said. “They believe in a truly holistic approach to health that accounts for mental health, physical health, and spiritual health.”
More than 20 years ago, when Taji was a Girl Scout leader for her youngest daughter, she connected with NFSB for the first time to run a coat drive. More recently, she ran her own Community Smiles fundraising campaign to support NFSB during the pandemic. Taji is grateful that her love of volunteerism has led to a deep relationship with the organization.
“One of my favorite things to do is celebrate our volunteers,” Taji said. “I’ve always been involved in volunteer work, and our volunteers are the unsung heroes of the organization. Since I joined the board three years ago, I’ve hosted our annual volunteer appreciation luncheon. We have such a great family of volunteers at NFSB.”
As CEO of a private mental health practice, Taji’s passion is hospice and palliative care (for people with a serious illness). She has helped usher more than 20 people into their end of life. Taji also managed a bereavement group for six years to help people navigate the ebbs and flows of loss. She earned her Master of Social Work from New York University, and her Doctorate of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Rutgers University.
As a member of the NFSB Board of Trustees, Taji chairs the Program Evaluation and Planning Committee and serves on the Development and Public Relations Committee. Of course, her primary focus as co-chair of The Garden Party is generating excitement!
Join Us
To purchase tickets, make a donation, see the entertainment lineup, and learn more about sponsorship and volunteering opportunities, visit The Garden Party event page. We’ll see you at the breathtaking Mountsier-Hardie Garden on Saturday, September 14!
