Prudential Spirit Winner Feeds the Hungry and Helps Veterans

Steve Adubato speaks with Bradley Ferguson, Prudential Spirit of Community National Honoree and Erland Chau, Mayor of Northfield, NJ, to discuss Bradley’s work in the Northfield community to help veterans and feed the hungry.

9/19/17 #2073

Excerpt:

"We are pleased to welcome two very special guests. First, Mr. Bradley Ferguson, who is the Prudential Spirit of Community National Honoree, and Mayor Erland Chau, who is the mayor of Northfield, New Jersey. Good to have you both with us. Thank you. Thank you. This Prudential Award, the Spirit of Community, is such an important award. We've worked a long time with Prudential, the Prudential Foundation. Tell folks about the organization that you are part of. You started. It's called "Post Crashers", helping veterans, right? Mm hmm. What is it? So there's a Post right near my house, Post 295. And after, like, the tragedy, I saw of Charles Ingram III, near the VA... Right. ...who doused himself in gasoline and... That's right. ...lit himself on fire. I wanted to help the veterans out because they were coming home from war and they weren't getting any recognition. And I felt that was completely wrong. And they should be getting a lot more. So you decided to do this? Yes. I decided... Who motivated you? Other than that instance? I heard your dad was somehow connected to this? Yeah. My sister and my parents, they helped my sister with helping hungry people in our county. And she started helping 100. So it kind of runs in my family a little bit, of... for volunteering. Now the veterans, before I come to you Mayor, the veterans who find out about this, how do you help them? So we had a advocacy dinner for Thanksgiving, and this was probably the biggest meeting of all the veterans, and people from Enphront in Atlantic City, and the homeless shelter in Atlantic City, and also the people who came in the American Legion 295, were invited to this Thanksgiving dinner, and that was the biggest meeting with all of the veterans together. They got together? And helped... mm hmm. And you're trying to make a difference for them? Yes. And you getting acknowledged by the Prudential Spirit of Community, you're one of the national honorees? Yes. How do you know this young guy? Well Steve, as I told you earlier, Brad and I go with the same high school, Mainland Regional High School. But let me clarify. He's a student, and I'm a teacher. So I've known him throughout his career at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood over the past two years, and I know his family very well. And through those years, I've seen the terrific deeds and accomplishments that he has done. Not only for our city, but for Atlantic County in New Jersey. Someone of his age, an inspiration. To honor our veterans... You're 16? Mm hmm. Yep. Yes. Go ahead. To honor our veterans, to deal..."