The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, gave special recognition to the Food Store Donors, who contributed a combined 2,544,588 pounds of food this year. The value of that food is $4,376,691 dollars. These “Food Star” donors, include Saker ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Wegmans, Foodtown, ACME, BJ’s Wholesale, A&P, Pathmark, Super Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Restaurant Depot, and Costco.
“We are extremely lucky to have such a productive relationship with our local stores in the counties we serve,” says Carlos Rodriguez, FoodBank Executive Director. “The store donations account for 25% percent of our overall distribution, and are necessary for us to continue to provide a wide variety of fresh food to the more than 300 feeding programs in our communities, which include pantries, soup kitchens, churches, synagogues and shelters.”
In Monmouth and Ocean Counties, 131,000 residents — the majority of whom are women, children, seniors, the working poor and people with disabilities — rely on emergency food. The FoodBank has developed multiple food sourcing programs such as Government Sources, Wholesale Food Purchasing, Individual Food Donations, Fresh Produce, and Retail and Grocery Store Donations.
The store donation program makes it easy for grocers to reduce food waste and redistribute food that is no longer sellable due to minor damage, excess inventory or expiration dates. The donated food is inspected for safety, sorted and distributed to pantries or other agencies serving local families in need.
“We’ve had great success with our store donor program and want to replicate it for farms and manufacturers,” says Mychal Mills, FoodBank Food Sourcing Supervisor. “There is a growing trend for healthy eating and locally grown produce. It coincides with the FoodBank’s goal of providing healthy, balanced meals to those in need. We hope that farmers can experience the same benefits as our stores.”
For more information about food sourcing, contact mmills@fulfillnj.org.