Deck the Halls 2026

Join us for Deck the Halls, The Montclair Foundation’s annual holiday fundraiser and a beloved tradition that brings our community together in celebration of the season. This year we are honoring The Montclair Foundation’s Trustee, Betty Jagoda Murphy, and the amazing Human Needs Pantry of Montclair. The celebration will be held at Montclair Art Museum and will include cocktails, dinner and a live auction. Tribute ads in our printed event program and tickets to the event can be purchased at this link: Interested in being a sponsor or volunteering? Please contact [email protected] to learn how to get involved. Deck the Halls: A Tradition of Community Connection This year, we are proud to honor Betty Jagoda Murphy and Human Needs Food Pantry, recognizing their extraordinary commitment to our community. Betty Jagoda Murphy has been a dedicated and active supporter of nonprofit and community organizations for decades. Her extensive service has included leadership and volunteer roles with The Montclair Foundation/Van Vleck House & Gardens, Programs for Parents, the NJ Jewish Women’s Foundation, Dress for Success, the Montclair Art Museum, the Montclair Garden Club, and numerous other organizations. Betty currently serves on The Montclair Foundation’s Board of Trustees and serves on the Grants Committee and Management Committee. She has also planned and run the wildly successful Deck the Halls Holiday Boutique for the last six years. Her contributions to the community have been widely recognized. Betty was named the North Essex Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leader of the Year and NJ Women Business Owners’ Business Woman of the Year and received Working Woman’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. In 2022, she was honored by the Montclair Art Museum at its Art in Bloom Luncheon. Betty is also deeply committed to preserving her family’s musical and cultural legacy. For more than 30 years, she performed alongside her sister, brother, and mother, internationally acclaimed Sephardic musician Flory Jagoda, sharing the Ladino music and traditions of Sephardic Jews. Today, Betty continues her mother’s legacy through performances and conversations about Sephardic culture and traditions. Human Needs Food Pantry has been a vital resource for our community since 1982, providing food, clothing and other essential services to individuals and families in need throughout Montclair, Essex County and beyond. At the heart of its work is ensuring that neighbors facing food insecurity have access to nutritious food with dignity. Clients receive fresh produce, meat and pantry staples, along with personal-care items, while volunteers deliver groceries to those who are homebound. Through its “Upstairs” program, the Pantry also provides free clothing, shoes, linens, kitchenware and other household necessities. For more than four decades, Human Needs Food Pantry has responded to the changing needs of our neighbors with compassion, dignity and practical support. The Montclair Foundation is proud to honor this extraordinary organization and its longstanding commitment to caring for our community. Proceeds from Deck the Halls support The Montclair Foundation’s work to care for Van Vleck House & Gardens, provide educational and cultural programs, and invest in local nonprofits that make our community stronger. Thanks to our sponsors for their support!