Food Donations Down From Last Year for the Challenge to Fight Hunger

Week four of the Feinstein Foundation Challenge to Fight Hunger saw a large increase in monetary donations, but food items donated are still well behind last year's totals for the South Brunswick Food Pantry.

"Our food donations are much lower than last year at this time," said Social Services Director LouAnne Wolf.  "We have collected a little over one-fourth of the total of last year."

Each year, from March 1 through April 30, the Feinstein Foundation challenges anti-hunger agencies across the country to raise funds and collect as many food donations as possible.  Alan Shawn Feinstein, founder of The Feinstein Foundation, then divides his donation of $1 million proportionately among approximately 2,000 agencies participating in the challenge.  Each food item donated is valued at $1 per item.  

The more donations the pantry receives, the more money comes in from the Feinstein Foundation.  An estimated $230 million was raised by anti-hunger agencies across the country during last year's challenge.  During last year's challenge, the South Brunswick Food Pantry collected 16,092 food items and raised $31,584 in donations.

Food donations can be dropped off at the municipal building either directly to the food pantry or outside the hallway in their bins, or at the South Brunswick Public Library.

Wolf is hopeful South Brunswick will once again answer the call for donations of food, as the need in the community continues to be great due to the economic woes.

"I hope that as the community hears this, they will try to arrange food drives and/or bring in extra food each week as they shop for their families," she said.

The Food Pantry is in need of the following items, but will gladly accept any food items on sale. The items needed are: coffee, jelly, snack foods, parmalot (boxed milk) and paper goods such as paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates and utensils.

"Four more weeks to go," Wolf said.  "Thank you to all the residents and businesses who have already donated either food or a monetary donation."

Monetary donations can be dropped off at the Social Services Department in the municipal building between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday or mailed to: South Brunswick Social Services, P.O.Box 190, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852.

The checks should be made out to the SB Human Intervention Trust Fund with the Feinstein Foundation written in the memo line.

Check back with South Brunswick Patch each week for running donation totals for the Challenge to Fight Hunger.