Goal to Help Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, and Shelters Distribute More Food to our Neighbors in Need
Neptune, New Jersey, July 7, 2022 – Fulfill announced today that it has awarded $128,000 this quarter in Fulfill Capacity Grants to 30 of its participating food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other feeding agencies in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, thanks to a grant from the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund and the Community Foundation of New Jersey.
The main purpose of the Fulfill Capacity Grants is to increase the amount of food which pantries and soup kitchens can serve to more people as we go through the transitional phase of the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Feeding agencies within the Fulfill network were permitted to apply for grant awards of up to $15,000.
Agencies requested a variety of items including commercial refrigerators, freezers, tables, shopping carts, shelving, electrical upgrades, meal containers, conveyer belts, laptops, portable heaters, printers, utility carts, a hydroponic gardening system, and a truck ramp. Other agencies asked for a generator, gardening tools and beds, a gas stove, a van, snow shovels, flashlights, extension cords, a vacuum, and paint. Grant applications were evaluated and approved by Fulfill’s Agency Partner Committee – comprised of board members, agency partners, and staff. Fulfill will purchase all appliances and equipment where possible to maximize purchasing power. Feeding agencies will receive checks for the balance of their awards.
“Fulfill could not achieve its impact or reach without our network of nearly 300 feeding agencies – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community distribution sites. Our job as a food bank is to provide our network the support and resources to do their job better to serve communities in need. That’s why Fulfill continues to invest in the capacity of our pantry network,” said Fulfill CEO and President Triada Stampas.
“It is critical for Fulfill to assist our pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters with the tools and resources to have the greatest reach,” added Fulfill Board Member and Agency Partner Community Chair Alex Taylor. “One of our agencies requested a hydroponic gardening system to grow vegetables, while another agency asked for gardening tools and beds, with assistance from Fulfill’s staff to get started. Both will provide produce for families in need for years to come! This is the kind of expansion that simply makes sense.”
The following Fulfill members will receive Fulfill Capacity Grants in varying amounts and items:
Brick Presbyterian – Brick
Calico Cat Food Pantry – Middletown
Calvary Baptist Church – Little Egg Harbor
Christ Church – Howell
Christ United Methodist Church – Lakewood
Colony of Mercy – Whiting
Discovery Institute –Marlboro
Glad Tidings –Tinton Falls
First Assembly of God Toms River – Toms River
Jackson Women – Jackson
Jesus is Lord – Toms River
Jewish Family Services – Asbury Park
Lunch Break – Red Bank
Mercy Center – Asbury Park
New Egypt UMC – New Egypt
Ocean Gate Church Food Pantry – Ocean Gate
Ocean Housing Alliance – Point Pleasant Beach
PCTR – The Hope Center – Toms River
Providence Baptist Pantry – Cliffwood
Sephardic Bikur Holim Food Pantry – Oakhurst
SEARCH Day Program –Ocean
Sixth Street Baptist –Lakewood
St. Luke’s – Long Branch
St. Luke’s – Toms River
St. Brigid – Long Branch
St. Dorothea –Eatontown
St. John – Lakehurst
St. Mark’s – Keansburg
True Vine Pantry – Bayville
Zichron Shneur Food Pantry – Lakewood
“We are very grateful for the award to help us purchase a van. We will use the van to transport those who cannot drive for whatever reason to our pantry and our homeless site,” said Pastor Rhetta Jackson, True Vine Pantry in Bayville.
About Fulfill Food Bank
Fulfill has been providing food for families at the Jersey Shore for more than thirty years. Fulfill made sure our neighbors in need had nourishment during economic storms, Superstorm Sandy, and now the pandemic. We supply food to nearly 300 feeding agencies in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, including soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters, providing food for families, children, seniors, veterans, and more.
Fulfill is still experiencing high volume, currently serving 972,000 meals per month. In fact, the demand for food at the Jersey Shore is still 22% higher than before the pandemic.
Ending hunger in our communities is a complex challenge, so Fulfill provides a full suite of programs to provide the resources people need to become self-sufficient. Fulfill’s Resource Connections Team members assist with applications for SNAP (food stamps), affordable health care, and Medicaid. They also assist with affordable housing applications, budgeting and money management, utility expenses, and senior services.
Fulfill has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for more than twelve consecutive years. This distinction means Fulfill, a 501 (c)3 charitable organization, outperformed most charities in America in areas of efficiency, fiscal integrity, and effectiveness. In fact, 95 cents of every dollar donated to Fulfill goes directly to feeding the hungry in our community. Follow Fulfill on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and share our posts to help raise awareness about hunger. To donate or volunteer, go to fulfillnj.org. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
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Contact:
Karla Bardinas
Think Media Communications
732.996.9789 (cell)