NEWTON, N.J. (Sussex County) — Sussex County resident Michael McNamara has been recognized as a Fifth District Hometown Hero for nearly four decades of volunteer work with Project Self-Sufficiency.
McNamara was among 23 North Jersey residents recently honored by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., for their service to their communities. The honorees included first responders, veterans, volunteers, community leaders and other residents.
McNamara has volunteered with Newton-based nonprofit Project Self-Sufficiency for nearly 40 years, taking on tasks ranging from building maintenance and landscaping to assisting with holiday programs for children and food distribution efforts.
Known at the organization as “the guy who always says ‘yes’,” McNamara has removed carpeting, helped clean flooded basements, hauled mulch and portrayed Santa Claus at children’s holiday parties. On one occasion, he drove to Maryland to pick up a truckload of donated books, according to Project Self-Sufficiency.
McNamara continued volunteering while using portable oxygen after pulmonary fibrosis limited his activities. He underwent a lung transplant in 2023 and later returned to volunteering with the organization.
“Today, we are here to focus on our neighbors, who, even in all the noise, look for ways to put others above themselves,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) at a festive ceremony at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center. “Each day, our friends, family, and neighbors quietly go out and change lives through their service to others. They do it all without expecting any special recognition. They do it simply because it’s the right thing to do. They all come from different walks of life, but they all embody our Jersey Values and make our community such a special place to live, work, and raise a family. They help us build that more perfect union of our dreams. We all should work to live up to their example.”
McNamara also enjoys hiking and has traversed the beginning and end of the Appalachian Trail, though not the portion in between, according to Project Self-Sufficiency.
Project Self-Sufficiency Chief Executive Officer Deborah Berry-Toon said McNamara’s involvement with the organization dates to its early years.
“Michael McNamara has been by our side since the inception of the agency 40 years ago,” commented Project Self-Sufficiency Chief Executive Officer Deborah Berry-Toon. “From entertaining children, to carting hundreds of frozen turkeys for hungry families, to just quietly doing what needs to be done, Michael has proven that no action is too small to make a powerful difference in the life of a child, a family, and a community. We are proud to call him a true friend, and we look forward to many more years of working together to make our community a better place.”
