Our Mission
The Holiday Express’s mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support, and friendship to those with the greatest need for the gift of human kindness during the holiday season and throughout the year.
About Us
Founded in 1993 by Tim McLoone, Holiday Express believes that no one should feel alone during the holidays. We use the healing power of music, kindness, and human connection to bring joy to individuals who are often forgotten.
Each holiday season, we visit 100 organizations across the metropolitan tri-state area, delivering live music, meals, activities, and essential gifts to nearly 25,000 people in need. For many, our event is the only holiday celebration they receive.
Who We Help
The holidays can be a difficult time for many—those struggling with financial hardship, health challenges, or loneliness. Our programs serve:
- Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Veterans and active-duty military personnel
- People in addiction recovery programs
- Children and adults facing serious illnesses
- The homeless and food insecure
- The isolated and elderly
What We Do
Through our signature holiday program, we bring:
- Live, interactive musical celebrations led by volunteers
- A warm meal and festive holiday activities
- Gift bags filled with practical items like blankets, toiletries, hats, scarves, and gloves and fun gifts too
- Unwavering support and companionship during the most challenging time of the year
Fueled by Dedicated Volunteers
Delivering Hope to the Underserved
Funded by Generous Donations
Powered by Volunteers & Community Support
- 1,500+ volunteers work year-round to prepare for our events
- We are community-supported through donations and contributions—most of our gifts are donated or purchased at discounted prices
- Our 10,000-square-foot warehouse operates year-round to support our holiday programs and fundraising efforts
At Holiday Express, we do more than spread holiday cheer—we provide hope and joy to those who need it most.
Our Leadership
About our Founder
Tim McLoone
When Tim McLoone first stepped onto the track as a first-year student at Seton Hall Prep in South Orange, NJ, he had no idea that was the beginning of a journey that would lead him to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2018. From there, he has gone on to lead a varied life that has many referring to him as a “Renaissance man.”
Tim continued his running career at Harvard University where he was named to the All-American and All-Ivy teams. From there he continued running and racing while involving himself in the event management side of the sport, culminating in his being named Executive Director of the US Men’s Olympic Trial in 1998. He became known for his TV appearances interviewing competitors “on the run” in major races such as the NYC and Los Angeles Marathons, the latter for which he received an Emmy Award. He continues his love of the sport today as the Head Coach of cross country and track at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in Rumson, NJ.
Tim’s love of sports led him to a position with the New Jersey Nets, where he served as their first Director of Game Operations and their announcing “voice” at the Meadowlands Arena. He later transitioned to college hoops in the same capacity for Seton Hall University Basketball, a position he holds to this day.
Tim’s other passion is music, and he has performed for many years with his group Tim McLoone and the Shirley’s, performing with many entertainment luminaries such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Darlene Love, and Ben E. King. Incredibly, at the same time, he ventured into the restaurant business, opening McLoone’s Run Runner in Sea Bright, NJ, in 1987. In the ensuing years, that company has grown to ten locations, including the Robinson’s Ale House brand, with more on the way.
If you ask Tim, he will share that his greatest accomplishment is his most selfless one – the creation in 1993 of Holiday Express, the charitable organization that entertains and brings the gift of human kindness to thousands of the most disadvantaged among us each year. Over the course of November and December, more than one hundred professional musicians and 1,500 adult volunteers create magical holiday parties for places such as long-term residential psychiatric facilities, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, schools with students with varying degrees of physical and mental abilities, and the like.
Tim credits his wife, Beth, and their four children, Molly, Jack, Connor, and Hannah, with providing him with the love and support to do all these things. Tim is very much a homebody and cherishes his free time with his family in their Little Silver, NJ home.
Board of Trustees
Terel Cooperhouse – President
Amy Broza – Vice President
Paul Huegel – Secretary
Jeff Fraller – Treasurer
Tim McLoone – Founder
Ana Anttonen
Ryan Cooperhouse
Peter DeMarco
Joseph Gervasi
Dillon Gilbertson
Beth McLoone
Molly McLoone
Jeff Rich
Sam Sherman
Theresa Soya
Pat Wotton