Former Saturday Night Live comedian and North Caldwell native Joe Piscopo will host a fundraiser Thursday for a foundation catering to people with disabilities and run by Verona resident Scott Chesney.

The gala, “An Evening at Club Piscopo,” will take place at The Villa at Mountain Lakes for the Raise Hope Foundation, a non-profit established to train, mentor and place people with disabilities, including military veterans, in competitive careers.

“Raise Hope’s goal is to get people with disabilities back to work or, for some, into work for the first time,” said Chesney. “This event will allow us to take steps toward achieving that goal on a larger scale, which is something we’re incredibly excited about.”

The evening will feature both silent and live auctions with prizes including: 

• Two free personal training sessions and a functional movement screening donated by Cedar Grove’s Living Fit, located at 420 Pompton Ave.
• A New York Giants poster, signed by the Super Bowl-winners, along with four tickets and a parking pass to this Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins.
• Four box seats for an evening with actor Whoopi Goldberg
• A spa package

“We want this to be a signature event, that everyone is talking about,” said Chesney. “People know they are going to have a great time and it’s a fantastic cause that’s addressing a very serious issue.”

The foundation expects between 150 and 200 people for the initial fundraiser.

"For our first time event, we are hoping to raise $50,000 which we feel is doable,” said Chesney. “It's an ambitious goal but we have great sponsors and a lot of people looking to participate.”

Event organizers said they are no longer offering tickets to the event since the deadline to purchase tickets has passed.

Piscopo was born in Passaic, but moved to North Caldwell, where he graduated from West Essex High School in 1969.