Suburban Propane presents 2021 SuburbanCares award

Michael Stivala (left), CEO of Suburban Propane, presents the 2021 SuburbanCares award to Eric LeGrand. (Photo by Douglas Zayat/Suburban Propane)

Suburban Propane Partners presented local disability advocate, author, philanthropist, motivational speaker and entrepreneur Eric LeGrand with its 2021 SuburbanCares award.

In addition to the award, Suburban Propane contributed to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation through Team LeGrand.

This award – the first to be presented at Suburban Propane’s Whippany, New Jersey, headquarters – was presented to LeGrand in recognition of his ongoing contributions made to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation in support of quality-of-life initiatives and accelerating the discovery of treatments and cures for spinal cord injuries, Suburban Propane says.

As a rising Rutgers University football star, LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury at his C3 and C4 vertebrae during a 2010 game at MetLife Stadium. Since then, LeGrand has dedicated his life to improving the lives of individuals across the nation who are impacted by paralysis.

“I am very thankful to Suburban Propane for their generous donation to Team LeGrand of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation,” LeGrand says. “We are all about growing our family and bringing awareness to people with spinal cord injuries. I’m grateful that Suburban Propane has now joined the Team LeGrand family.”

Adds Maggie Goldberg, president of the Reeve Foundation: “The Reeve Foundation appreciates the support from Suburban Propane for Team LeGrand. We are thankful for the generosity of organizations committed to improving the quality of life and well-being for people living with paralysis. These funds will expand our resources and advance our mission to discover cures and therapies for spinal cord injury.”

In addition, Suburban Propane is undertaking initiatives to help children in underserved communities in Philadelphia; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Santa Rosa, California; Charleston, South Carolina; Detroit; and New Brunswick, New Jersey. It has also made efforts to feed health care professionals in regions affected by COVID-19, such as Florida, California, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C.

“As a New Jersey-based company employing several esteemed Rutgers alumni, Suburban Propane has been following Eric LeGrand’s extraordinary story for some time,” says Nandini Sankara, spokesperson for Suburban Propane. “We are honored and grateful to contribute to Team LeGrand’s ‘Walk to Believe’ initiative and to present Eric with our SuburbanCares Award for his outstanding service and commitment.”