Jersey Shore Schools and Sponsors Provide More than 141,000 Meals for
People in Need During Pandemic
Neptune, NJ, March 3, 2022 – Ranney School in Tinton Falls is the 2021-22 Heavyweight Champion of the Students Change Hunger Competition in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to benefit Fulfill. The award was for collecting the most food and funds in its division. The winner was announced by Fulfill CEO and President Triada Stampas on a Zoom with the principal, teachers, and students. Ranney School was also the only school in Monmouth and Ocean Counties this year to join the Six Thousand Pound Club.
“Schools in Monmouth and Ocean Counties faced many challenges this year with surges of the Delta and Omicron variants in the community. Students and teachers made Students Change Hunger and Fulfill a priority, which is incredibly heartwarming, especially under the circumstances. We are grateful that 64 schools signed up to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors who are struggling during the pandemic,” stated Stampas.
The schools collected a total of 50,490 pounds of food and $15,220 in funds. The sponsors collected $17,800 in funds.
Memorial Middle School of Point Pleasant placed second in the competition, and the Little Silver School District and Monmouth Beach Elementary tied for third.
“Our sincere appreciation goes out to all the participants, and congratulations to the winners! The ingenuity and creativity shown by the students to raise money and hold COVID friendly food drives was extraordinary! One school even held a “Pie A Teacher” contest! We love to see everyone having fun while having an enormous, positive impact in the community,” added Stampas.
The statewide competition was organized by the Federation of New Jersey Food Banks. The Federation challenged all students, staff, teachers, and parents to think of those less fortunate throughout the school year by organizing a food and fund drive at their school, which ran from September 13, 2021, through January 14, 2022. In Monmouth and Ocean Counties, 26 schools received awards for their exceptional efforts to feed our food insecure neighbors:
6,000 Pound Club
Ranney School, Division 4 Winner
5,000 Pound Club
Memorial Middle School of Point Pleasant
4,000 Pound Club
Monmouth Beach Elementary School, Division 3 Winner
Little Silver School District, Division 5 Winner
3,000 Pound Club
Marlboro High School, Division 6 Winner
2,000 Pound Club
Biotechnology High School
Dwight David Eisenhower Middle School
Howell Middle School South
Manalapan High School
Millstone Middle School
Wall High School
1,000 Pound Club
Alpha School, Division 1 Winner
Asher Holmes Elementary School
The Brookside School
H.W. Mountz School
Lafayette Mills School
Lakewood Middle School
Lanes Mill Elementary
Mahala F. Atchison Elementary
Marlboro Montessori Academy, Division 2 Winner
Monmouth County Vocational School District
Neptune Middle School
Point Pleasant Borough High School
Raritan High School
Swimming River Elementary School
Toms River High School North
The sponsors for this event include: New Jersey Outboards, Irwin Lincoln & Mazda, AJ Perri, Ryser’s Landscape Supply, WindMill, NJEA, NJR Home Services, Plymouth Rock Assurance, Family First Urgent Care, and Nissan City of Red Bank. A special thank you to Press Communications for its partnership with Fulfill on the Student Change Hunger Competition for the past 15 years.
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 providing food to our hungry neighbors 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.