Events

Ongoing/Upcoming Events

October 16, 2024

As part of their October’s Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month activities, The Aliver Foundation partnered with Lincoln School for Restart A Heart Day to help hearts and save lives.

“Restart a Heart Day has been held worldwide on October 16th each year since 2013 and was started by the European Resuscitation Council to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. The Aliver Foundation was thrilled to work with Principal Emmons and Superintendent Kinney to develop a full day of activities for each grade at Lincoln School. We look forward to partnering on more programming for Garwood’s youth,” Jill A. Pall (Founder & President, The Aliver Foundation).



Joined by Detective Christopher Czachorowski and Police Officer Eric Miller, Pall chatted with the younger students about the benefits staying hydrated, getting a good night’s sleep, physical activity, and eating well can have on the heart. They also discussed the importance of calling 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency. After spirited Q&A sessions (one of which included a student inquiry regarding a Lamborghini for the Garwood Police Department), the children listened to a reading from Hear Your Heart (this along with two other Cardiology for Kids books have been donated to the Garwood Public Library), decorated paper tubes, and used their “stethoscopes” to listen to one another’s hearts.

Pall shared some of her cardiac arrest story to the older students. During a fourth and fifth grade assembly, she and Stephanie Lovero Willix (Assistant Secretary and Life Member, Garwood First Aid Squad & Board Member, The Aliver Foundation) answered questions about sudden cardiac arrest and emergency response. “This assembly was extremely engaging and educational for the students. They were very interested and asked some really thoughtful questions,” Willix said.

The middle school assembly included a hands-on interactive CPR/AED demonstration conducted by Luciane Raibin (Vice President, Garwood First Aid Squad), Kymm Balinth (Lieutenant, Garwood First Aid Squad), and Chuck Kleinberg (EMT, Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad & Advisory Council Member, The Aliver Foundation). Students had the opportunity to use an AED and learn chest compressions.

“The Restart a Heart Day program at Lincoln School had a positive impact on our students. It’s wonderful that the students left school with a deeper understanding of heart health, recognizing the signs of heart problems, and knowing how to take immediate action in an emergency. Equipping our young people with important life saving skills—like calling 9-1-1, staying calm, checking for responsiveness, and, depending on age and training, possibly providing CPR —helps create a safer environment for everyone. Thank you to Jill and The Aliver Foundation crew for providing such an informative and age-appropriate public service presentation to our staff and students,” Mary Emmons (Principal, Lincoln School).

“It is vital that we educate our staff and students in the importance of life saving techniques as well as giving them awareness of their community and its resources. One true resource is the passion of Jill and The Aliver Foundation. The Garwood Public School District is grateful for the opportunity to learn from her and the organization,” added Christopher Kinney (Superintendent, Garwood Public School District).

October 9, 2024

The goal of The Aliver Foundation is to help hearts and save lives. What better way to do that than by donating an all-weather, climate controlled automated external defibrillator (AED) enclosure and device to La Grande Park during Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month?

That’s exactly what the nonprofit did on the evening of Wednesday, October 9th. Focusing on educating people in order to create real change, The Aliver Foundation worked closely with the Fanwood Rescue Squad on this family friendly event to include an educational component where attendees learned how easy it is to use an AED and how to administer CPR chest compressions.

“Every second counts when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest. Having an easily accessible AED can mean the difference between life or death. These AEDs can empower bystanders to activate the chain of survival thereby improving the chances of successful resuscitation,” said Karolyn L. Buckridee, MD, President of the Fanwood Rescue Squad.

Mayor Mahr welcomed attendees, including council members, Fanwood Police Department, Fanwood Fire Department, Fanwood Rescue Squad, Union County Police Department, leadership from The Aliver Foundation, and former NHL goalie and Stanley Cup champion Glenn “Chico” Resch, and talked about the importance of having lifesaving equipment available in outdoor recreation spaces. She mentioned that Fanwood plans on purchasing and installing another AED enclosure and device in Forest Road Park.

“It’s so wonderful to see Fanwood’s commitment to saving the lives of those that may suffer a potentially fatal cardiac event. We are so proud to count them among the towns that just got a bit safer thanks to The Aliver Foundation,” said Andrew Blumenstock, Board Member, The Aliver Foundation.

After Mayor Mahr, Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation, talked about her cardiac arrest that took place in Echo Lake Park on June 25, 2021 and how bystander, Ailene Connors-Albarron administered CPR for over 10 minutes until paramedics arrived with an AED, because there wasn’t one in the park. She introduced Union County Police Officer Robert Garrison who used an Ambu-bag on her in tandem with Connors-Albarron’s chest compressions.

Pall discussed the startling stats of sudden cardiac arrest (an electrical issue with an 8% survival rate), why she started the foundation, and how its mission is to raise awareness and funds to install all weather AEDs in outdoor recreation spaces while also providing crucial resources and educational opportunities to individuals and communities. The event concluded with the Fanwood Rescue Squad stressing the importance of administering CPR and using an AED, and conducting a hands-on interactive demonstration with attendee participation.

“It was so nice to see so many people come out to celebrate this donation and Fanwood’s commitment to the safety of its residents. Of course we’re very grateful to our friend, “Chico”, who knows a thing or two about saves, for attending this event, asking important questions, practicing CPR compressions, and for his continued support of The Aliver Foundation,” said Pall. 

October 1-7, 2024

As part of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, Rush Bowls in Westfield, NJ donated 10% of their sales from the first week of October to The Aliver Foundation, raising an incredible $260. 

We are extremely grateful to the team at Rush Bowls for their commitment to helping hearts and saving lives. 

October 1, 2024

To kick off Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, The Aliver Foundation held a community event with Berkeley Heights on October 1st to celebrate the Township’s commitment to helping hearts and saving lives by installing an all-weather, climate controlled, tamper proof, outdoor automated external defibrillator (AED) enclosure and device at Lower Columbia Park.

Mayor Devanney welcomed attendees and talked about the importance of having lifesaving equipment available for public use. “I am grateful to the Aliver Foundation for their education campaign, the Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad for their dedication to this mission, and the Recreation Commission to ensure the Township had an AED in Lower Columbia Park. This new device will save lives in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). My father suffered a cardiac event and survived, so this mission and education is personal to me as a daughter and a mayor,” said Devanny.

 Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation, discussed how she had cardiac arrest at Echo Lake Park on June 25, 2021 and how a friend administered CPR for over 10 minutes until paramedics arrived with an AED, because there weren’t any in the park. Pall detailed why she started the organization and its mission to raise awareness and funds to install all weather AEDs in outdoor recreation spaces while also providing crucial resources and educational opportunities to individuals and communities. Pall praised Berkeley Heights for their quick action of purchasing lifesaving equipment for the town. “I want to acknowledge that this community fully understood how important of an investment this was for its residents,” said Pall.

Resident Chuck Kleinberg who is a volunteer EMT with the Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad and also serves as an Advisory Council member of The Aliver Foundation, shared the story of his mother’s cardiac arrest and educated attendees through an interactive CPR and AED demonstration. “The opportunity to help bring an AED to the park and to share my story about my mom will be one of my greatest accomplishments in life,” said Kleinberg.

Over the summer, Kleinberg connected Pall with Carolyn George, Associate Recreation Director at Berkeley Heights Township. Pall shared her story, why she was empowered to start The Aliver Foundation, and the three discussed how crucial it is to have AEDs accessible 24/7/365 in recreation spaces. This conversation resulted in the immediate purchase of a CE Tek 4000 Outdoor AED enclosure and Heartsine Samaritan 350P AED for installation in Lower Columbia Park. “The Aliver Foundation is the outcome of a wonderful testimony. The Recreation Commission is happy to fund and spearhead the installation of this AED to potentially save a life as Jill’s life was saved,” George said.

August 1 - 31, 2024

Our friends at K9 Kim's Dog Training donated 10% of all August sales to The Aliver Foundation to help fund an all weather, climate controlled, tamper proof AED enclosure and device to be installed in an outdoor recreation space. We couldn’t be more grateful to Kim Guy, her team, and their customers for their generous donation of nearly $1700!

August 5, 2024

The The Aliver Foundation was selected as the charity beneficiary of the Rotary Club of Cranford's 34th Annual Golf Tournament, held on August 5th at Shackamaxon Country Club.

Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation spoke about surviving cardiac arrest at Echo Lake Dog Park, priorities of the organization, and the disparities that exist in terms of receiving bystander CPR as related to sex and race. She also educated attendees on how to do CPR compressions, showed them how easy it is to “learn” to use an AED, and conveyed why AEDs being available 24/7/365 is so important to saving lives.

"Thank you to the Cranford Rotary for their continued support and for recognizing how crucial our mission is. We cannot wait to share where this equipment will be installed," Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation.

July 31, 2024

The Aliver Foundation hosted a community event on July 31st at Tiger Pop Warner Field in Linden, NJ to not only unveil the all weather, climate controlled, tamper proof outdoor automated external defibrillator (AED) enclosure and device that the Foundation donated, but to bring The City of Linden together for a family friendly event focused on saving lives.

Immediately administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an AED is crucial to saving the life of someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). CPR can triple the 8% survival rate of SCA while every minute without defibrillation decreases the likelihood of survival by 10%.

Union County resident and Founder of The Aliver Foundation, Jill A. Pall, had SCA on June 25, 2021 at Echo Lake Park. She wanted Linden to be one of the first communities the non-profit would work with.

The Linden Fire Department conducted an interactive CPR and AED demonstration during the event to familiarize community members with the basics. Earlier this year, they offered free classes, educating over 50 residents on these lifesaving skills to empower them to step in if ever they witness someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

“This AED enclosure and device will safely remain outside and accessible 24/7/365 at Tiger Pop Warner Field. Thank you to the Linden Fire Department for partnering with us for this family friendly event and thank you to the Linden Tigers for coming out in droves to show their support. The hope is that nobody will ever have to use this AED but knowing it is there is crucial to saving lives,” Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation.

June 1 - 7, 2024

Our friends at Outta Hand Pizza in Westfield, NJ held a lifesaving fundraiser for us. Thank you to all who supported this awesome effort.

June 3, 2024

In conjunction with CPR & AED Awareness Week, The Aliver Foundation held a community event with The Borough of Garwood on Monday, June 3rd at Hartman Park to not only unveil the town’s second all weather, climate controlled, tamper proof outdoor automated external defibrillator (AED) enclosure and device but to bring together the community with local first responders.

This small town definitely has a big heart. Covering 415 acres with just about 5,000 residents, Garwood now has two of these outdoor enclosures in their public recreation spaces. The Hartman Park AED joins the one at the Garwood Sports and Recreation Complex that was installed in early September 2023.

“Garwood will always work to make our Borough as safe as possible for our residents, and this is one more important tool in our belt. We have amazing first responders in our town. I thank them and The Aliver Foundation for making this event happen,” Garwood Mayor Jennifer Blumenstock.

Garwood resident, Jill A. Pall, had sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) nearly three years ago at Echo Lake Park. While bystander Ailene Connors-Albarron started CPR immediately, there was no AED in the park, and it took paramedics over 10 minutes to arrive. Pall approached newly elected Mayor Blumenstock in January 2023 to discuss getting all weather AEDs in their town’s recreation spaces. The mayor then spoke with the Garwood Police Department. Sergeant John Wright looked into grant funding to purchase the initial device as well as the second one, and the rest is history.

“This family friendly evening celebrated Garwood’s commitment to helping hearts and saving lives by recognizing the importance of having AEDs accessible to the public 24/7/365. The Aliver Foundation is extremely proud of this community’s first responders and really wanted to showcase them, while also educating residents on the importance of calling 9-1-1 who will walk you through an emergency situation, showing them how easy it is to do CPR compressions, and letting them know that there’s nothing to learn when it comes to using an AED – your literally just unzip a zipper, press a button, and follow voice prompts,” Jill A. Pall, Founder & President of The Aliver Foundation.

The hope is that nobody will ever have to use these AEDs but knowing they are there, if needed, means everything to residents in this small town with a big heart.

The Aliver Foundation would like to thank the Garwood Fire Department for their generous donation.

May 2, 2024

We presented The Borough of Roselle Park in New Jersey with an all weather, climate controlled, tamper proof AED enclosure and device to be placed in an outdoor space. They are the first community to receive a donation from The Aliver Foundation and were selected for a variety of reasons, primarily because the person who did not hesitate to start CPR immediately when our founder had cardiac arrest is a resident of their town (this was the third time she’s stepped in and saved a life through CPR). We couldn’t be more excited for the community unveiling event taking place on Wednesday, June 5th and hope you’ll save the date.

Please note: Due to circumstances beyond the control of The Aliver Foundation, the Roselle Park equipment was never installed and they cancelled the June 5th community unveiling event. Because of this, we requested the equipment we donated be returned, and donated it to another community in Union County, NJ. Our goal is to get as many of these enclosures out into public spaces as quickly as possible.

February 10 - April 30, 2024

Our friends at The Station Bar & Grill in Garwood, NJ held a Heart Raiser event to fundraise for us. Patrons made a donation on hearts that were displayed throughout the restaurant. Thank you to all who supported this wonderful effort.

April 17, 2024

We had a fantastic time speaking about The Aliver Foundation, the need for all weather AEDs in public recreation spaces, and the importance of mental health programs for sudden cardiac arrest survivors and their loved ones at the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club's lunch meeting. Thank you for having us and for your commitment to helping hearts and saving lives.

April 14, 2024

A huge thank you to everyone who made the Canine CPR Info Session fundraiser such a success. We appreciate Mary Alverson Dogs for leading the discussion, the
Garwood First Aid Squad for providing the venue, those who donated, and the amazing attendees.

We feel better prepared should an emergency situation present itself, especially knowing to stay calm and seeking immediate help. 100% of the money raised from this fundraiser is going directly toward the cost of an all-weather, climate controlled, tamper proof AED enclosure and device to be placed in an outdoor recreation space in Union County, NJ through The Aliver Foundation.

March 28, 2024

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Cranford, New Jersey for inviting us to speak about The Aliver Foundation. We enjoyed meeting everyone and look forward to working with you to save lives and help hearts.