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It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the reins of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel.  He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and transportation services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse set of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said. 

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further the remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the reins of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel. He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and transportation services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse set of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said.

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further the remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Food Bank Network of Somerset County NJ names new executive director

It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the reins of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel. He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and transportation services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse set of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said.

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further the remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Food Bank Network of Somerset County NJ names new executive director

Marie Scanell - 732-560-1813
Official Food Bank Network Web page: www.somersetfoodbank.org

Our Intention is to provide food with dignity and respect for both the persons giving and receiving the food.
Our Purpose is to Provide a means for ending hunger in our community for everyone.

Who Receives Food?

• Single-parent families
• Low income families
• Long term unemployed or underemployed
• Senior citizens with inadequate fixed incomes

Funding and suppliers

Locations

Fax: 732 748-0622

Pantries:
Somerville Sat. 10 AM - 12:00 PM
Womens Health and Counceling Center
95 Veteran's Memorial Dr E.
Staffed by several area churches which rotate.

South Bound Brook Sat. 10 AM - 12:00 PM
Out lady of Mercy Church
122 High St., South Bound Brook

North Plainfield last 2 Saturdays of the Month 10 AM - noon
Vermuele Community Center
Greenbrook Rd.

Needed Items

Other Services

• Proposer des services et s'assurer qu'ils fonctionnent correctement, par exemple en effectuant le suivi des interruptions de service et en vous protégeant contre le spam, les fraudes et les abus
• Mesurer l'engagement de l'audience et les statistiques sur les sites pour comprendre la façon dont nos services sont utilisés

• Améliorer la qualité de nos services et en développer de nouveaux
• Diffuser des annonces et évaluer leur efficacité
• Proposer des contenus personnalisés en fonction de vos paramètres
• Proposer des publicités personnalisées ou génériques, en fonction de vos paramètres, sur Google et sur le Web

Cliquez sur "Personnaliser" pour consulter les différentes options, telles que les commandes permettant de refuser l'utilisation des cookies à des fins de personnalisation ainsi que les informations sur les commandes permettant de refuser une partie ou l'ensemble des cookies utilisés à d'autres fins depuis le navigateur. Vous pouvez aussi vous consultez la page g.co/privacytools à tout moment.

It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the reins of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel.  He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and transportation services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse set of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said. 

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further the remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

FacebookTwitterEmail

It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in saddleback church food pantry United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the food bank network of somerset bound brook nj of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an check the balance on victorias secret gift card in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel.  He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and transportation services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse set of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said. 

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further the remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

FacebookTwitterEmail

Marie Scanell - 732-560-1813
Official Food Bank Network Web page: www.somersetfoodbank.org

Our Intention is to provide food with dignity and respect for both the persons giving and receiving the food.
Our Purpose is to Provide a means for ending hunger in our community for everyone.

Who Receives Food?

• Single-parent families
• Low income families
• Long term unemployed or underemployed
• Senior citizens with inadequate fixed incomes

Funding and suppliers

Locations

Fax: 732 748-0622

Pantries:
Somerville Sat. 10 AM - 12:00 PM
Womens Health and Counceling Center
95 Veteran's Memorial Dr E.
Staffed by several area churches which rotate.

South Bound Brook Sat. 10 AM - 12:00 PM
Out lady of Mercy Church
122 High St., South Bound Brook

North Plainfield last 2 Saturdays of the Month 10 AM - noon
Vermuele Community Center
Greenbrook Rd.

Needed Items

Other Services

It has always been ironic that the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has an address on Easy Street in Bridgewater.

But none of its clients live on Easy Street, either literally or figuratively.

Marguerite Chandler, a former Peace Corps volunteer who was president of Edmar Corp. which formerly owned the Central Jersey Industrial Park on Chimney Rock Road and Easy Street, realized four decades ago that although Somerset was one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, there were many people here who were struggling every day to have the basic component of life – food.

That's why Chandler, one of Somerset County's most prominent philanthropists, founded the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in 1982.

Now, almost four decades later, the organization is turning a new page.

The longtime executive director, South Bound Brook resident Marie Scannell, has retired and turned over the reins of the organization to Steve Katz after 34 years in the position.

“Marie has been the heart and soul of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County for practically its entire existence,” said Gordon White, president of the nonprofit's board of directors. “She has had an immeasurable positive impact on thousands of lives as she dedicated her life to helping those in need.”

READ: Food Bank Network of Somerset County offers supermarket experience at new location

Katz started in the job on Monday – the middle of the food bank's busiest time of the year.

But he's no stranger to challenging situations.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in international relations, Katz had a 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army, both on active duty and in the reserves, and retired 10 years ago as a colonel. He served numerous deployments to the Middle East, the Balkans and throughout the former Soviet Union. He spent a year in Iraq commanding a special operations unit and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge.

Katz is the principle and owner of VOE Consulting in Franklin specializing in transportation and logistics.

The mission of the business, according to its website, has a lot in common with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.

"We can provide logistics and food bank network of somerset bound brook nj services to any shipper, but have a special passion for those providing humanitarian aid and assistance throughout the world," VOE's mission statement says.

With his extensive experience in logistics and organization in both the private and nonprofit words, Katz is a good fit for the executive director job.

“Steve brings a unique and diverse food bank network of somerset bound brook nj of skills to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, and we could not be more pleased to have him join our family,” White said.

Katz is looking forward to a fresh challenge.

“Marie is one of a kind and leaves the largest possible shoes to fill,” he said. “I am thrilled to take on this role and further phone number for walgreens on state street remarkable work the Food Bank Network of Somerset County has done as we face a world with increasing pandemic, weather and other challenges.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County receives no government funds and relies solely on donations of food and money. Many area churches and synagogues organize weekly or monthly food drives to collect food. There are paid staffers and an army of volunteers.

The food bank's new facility at 7E Easy St., just two buildings down from its longtime location off Chimney Rock Road, offers clients a grocery shopping-style experience. The 9,860-square-foot space is about 60% larger than the former location.

“Without Marie’s leadership we would never have been able to make this move,” White said. “She kept us focused on being fiscally prudent while building the strong community support and relationships that let us grow into our new building.”

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County also has satellite pantries at the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, the Vermuele Center in North Plainfield and the Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

But that's not all the organization does. It provides regular weekend and summer take-home meals for school children and shares food with other social service agencies.

After the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through Central Jersey in September, it delivered food and other supplies to the emergency shelter at the VFW in Manville.

For more information go to www.somersetfoodbank.org, visit the Food Bank Network page on Facebook or call 732-560-1813. Monetary donations can be sent to P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Food Bank Network of Somerset County NJ names new executive director

• Proposer des services et s'assurer qu'ils fonctionnent correctement, par exemple en effectuant le suivi des interruptions de service et en vous protégeant contre le spam, les fraudes et les abus
• Mesurer l'engagement de l'audience et les statistiques sur les sites pour comprendre la façon dont nos services sont utilisés

• Améliorer la qualité de nos services et en développer de nouveaux
• Diffuser des annonces et évaluer leur efficacité
• Proposer des contenus personnalisés en fonction de vos paramètres
• Proposer des publicités personnalisées ou génériques, how do i pay my auto loan with capital one fonction de vos paramètres, sur Google et sur le Web

Cliquez sur "Personnaliser" pour consulter les différentes options, telles que les commandes permettant de refuser l'utilisation des cookies à des fins de personnalisation ainsi que les informations sur les commandes permettant de refuser une partie ou l'ensemble des cookies utilisés à d'autres fins depuis le navigateur. Vous pouvez aussi vous consultez la page g.co/privacytools à tout moment.

New Jersey food banks are facing increased prices and food bank network of somerset bound brook nj sourcing and transporting food,another ripple effect of the global supply chain logjam created when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down factories, closed ports, caused a shortage of shipping containers and sickened truck drivers. 

And while the backlogs strained supply, business closures to stem the spread of the pandemic left large numbers of New Jerseyans unemployed and in need of help feeding their families for the first time. 

“There’s been a huge demand in need since the pandemic, riddled from day one with supply chain issues,” said Carlos Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, the largest anti-hunger, antipoverty organization in New Jersey, which provides food to local pantries in 15 counties. “The shortages that supermarkets are dealing with translated into less donations to us and increased costs.”

Before the pandemic, the Community FoodBank purchased about 10% of the food it gave out to families. Now, it is buying up to 36% of meals, because retail stores and supermarkets don’t have the capacity to donate as much as before, Rodriguez said. 

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Homelessness: Annual count of homeless people in NJ highlights vast racial disparities

And that dollar amount is huge considering how the organization has ramped up its aid, from 50 million meals in 2019 to 84 million meals in 2020 and an expected 93 million meals this year.

“You hear stories of cargo ships with foreign products being backed up,” Rodriguez said. “We don’t buy a lot of foreign food, but the higher competition places a squeeze in product, which causes price fluctuations we have to shoulder. At the beginning, we were paying 20% to 25% more for basic staples. We’ve gotten better, but it’s something that keeps us on our toes literally every day.”

To protect themselves in case of shortages, The Community FoodBank leased an additional warehouse so it could overstock and pull from the storage if needed. 

Food costs are up 4.6% compared with a year ago; meat, poultry, fish and egg prices spiked 10.5%, according to the September Consumer Price Index.

The products with price increases vary. At one point, it was aluminum cans. Now there’s an issue with apple concentrate, Rodriguez said. “I had a whole education about how many products contain apple concentrate,” he said.

The Community FoodBank passes out more than 10,000 turkeys for Thanksgiving dinners, and turkeys cost about 35 cents a pound more than they did last year, Rodriguez said. 

The Center for Food Action, an Englewood-based nonprofit providing food, housing and utility assistance to low-income families, is having a difficult time finding apple juice boxes for snack packs it passes out to children to eat on the weekends, said Irwin Vogelman, is stride bank the same as chime of operations.

Nourish.NJ, a Morristown-based nonprofit that provides food, housing, employment training and medical services, was searching for chicken on the bone, but no food distributors had what the group needed because Tyson Foods, a major chicken supplier, was having supply issues, said Dave Bein, nourish.NJ's chief operating officer. So instead the organization had to buy more expensive boneless chicken, paying more per pound for the cooked meals it gives out. 

It’s not just food that's been getting more expensive for the food banks. Gloves that workers wear in the kitchen shot up from around $38 a case to $80 a case in the last 18 months, Bein said. 

Transportation has also been a hurdle: The Community FoodBank has been waiting more than a year for its order of half a dozen 26-foot trucks because of the shortage of vehicle computer microchips, Rodriguez said. 

It needed to replace aging vehicles and increase the number of trucks to handle more deliveries, so the food bank rented trucks in the meantime, spending more money in the long run. 

And relying on other firms to make deliveries now comes at a risk. 

“We have had a few of our vendors call us and say, ‘Look, I know you're expecting a delivery on Wednesday. We don't have a driver; we're gonna come on Thursday,’” Bein said. “That doesn't really help when you have people lined up and waiting for a meal.” 

In those cases, nourish.NJ would often send its employees down to the food distribution or wholesale produce company and pick up orders from the warehouses, Bein said. 

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The Center for Food Action faced a similar issue transporting goods. “Some items are available, but there is no way to quickly ship them to our warehouse,” Vogelman said.

Another new complication cropped up with orders: Many vendors are asking for higher minimum orders because they have limited drivers or staff. It becomes a delicate choreography to handle bigger orders, because nourish.NJ doesn’t have its own warehouse or much storage space. 

The nonprofit will transfer food to its refrigerated truck, which it keeps running, and three hours later will pass out the food at its farmers markets. 

Because nourish.NJ doesn't want to rely on just one vendor that may not be able to meet deliveries, the nonprofit is contracting with multiple companies, sometimes paying more instead of relying on the company with the lowest bid.

And through it all, the need remains. 

“This pandemic is going to take a long time to climb out of food bank network of somerset bound brook nj many families, especially as they face the same increased costs in goods and housing,” Rodriguez said. 

Bein agreed. “The people we’re serving are still struggling,” he said. “We can’t let them get lost in the shuffle. We need to keep focusing on them and giving them the help they need.”

Want to donate? These are food pantries in New Jersey:

• Hackensack Seventh-Day Adventist Church. 106 Euclid Ave., Hackensack. 201-489-6390 or hackensacknj.adventistchurch.org
• Christ Episcopal Church in association with Tri-Arc Community Development Corp., 480 Warwick Ave., Teaneck.  201-833-4502 or christchurchteaneck.org
• Center for Food Action, 192 W. Demarest Ave., Englewood. 201-569-1804, ext. 25. Also 316 First St., Hackensack. 201-883-9375 or cfanj.org
• Hasbrouck Heights Food Pantry, 320 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights. 201-288-0195 
• CUMAC, 223 Ellison St., Paterson. 973-742-5518 or cumac.org 
• Human Needs Food Pantry, 9 Label St., Montclair. 973-746-4669 or humanneedsfoodpantry.org
• St Mary's Food Pantry, 22 Lakeside Ave. (rear of building), Pompton Lakes. 973-831-4442 or stmarys-pompton.org
• nourish.nj (formerly Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center), 36 Sussex Ave., Morristown. 973-267-0709 or nourishnj.org
• St. John’s Soup Kitchen, 22 Mulberry St., Newark. 973-623-0822 or njsk.org
• House of Love Soup Kitchen/Pantry, Church of God & Saints of Christ, 589-95 Central Ave., Newark. 973-204-7713 or houseoflovesoupkitchen.org
• Church Women United Food Pantry, 1240 Clinton Ave., Irvington. 973-373-5930.
• Community FoodBank of New Jersey, 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside. 908-355-3663; 6735 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township. 609-383-8843 or cfbnj.org
• Interfaith Food Pantry,  2 Executive Drive, Food bank network of somerset bound brook nj Plains. 973-538-8049 or mcifp.org
• Rahway Food for Friends, 1221 New Brunswick Ave., Rahway. 732-381-7201 or rahwayfoodforfriendsnj.org
• Hands of Hope Food Pantry, St. James Episcopal Church, 2136 Woodbridge Ave., Edison. 732-236-3330 or handsofhopenj.org  
• Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen, 18 Neilson St, New Brunswick. 732-545-9002 or elijahspromise.org 
• Food Bank Network of Somerset County, 9 Easy St., Bound Brook. 732-560-1813 or somersetfoodbank.org
• Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), 72½ Escher St., Trenton. 609-695-5456 or trentonsoupkitchen.org
• Flemington Area Food Pantry, 154 Route 31 (in front of Walmart parking lot), Flemington. 908-788-5568 or flemingtonfoodpantry.org
• JBJ Soul Kitchen, (Jon Bon Jovi's restaurants that serve paying and in-need customers), 207 Monmouth St., Red Bank (732-842-0900); 1769 Hoover Ave., Toms River (732-731-1414); Robeson Campus Center, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Newark (closed)  jbjsoulkitchen.org
• Lunch Break, 121 Drs. James Parker Blvd., Red Bank. 732-747-8577 or lunchbreak.org
• Bradley Food Pantry,  605 Fourth Ave., Bradley Beach. 732-775-0161 or bradleyfoodpantry.org
• Fulfill (Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean County), 3300 Route 66, Neptune; the B.E.A.T center, 1769 Hooper Ave., Toms River. 732-918-2600 or fulfillnj.org
• Food Bank of South Jersey, 1501 John Tipton Blvd., Pennsauken Township. 856-662-4884 or foodbanksj.org
• Cathedral Kitchen, 1514 Federal St., Camden. 856-964-6771 or cathedralkitchen.org
• TOUCH New Jersey Food Pantry, 549 State St., Camden. 856-803-3030 or touchnewjersey.org

Staff Writer Jim Beckerman contributed to this article. 

Ashley Balcerzak is a reporter covering affordable housing and its intersection of how we live in New Jersey. For unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @abalcerzak 

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