Source: NJ Herald
Eleven local food pantries got a much-needed boost this weekend as more than 3,000 food items collected through Foodstock were distributed.
Nine volunteers from Deloitte, global accounting network with offices in New Jersey, helped count, sort, pack and distribute 3,011 items. The county-wide food collection, now in its 15th year, aims to fill pantries during the summer months when food collections are low, but people in need still need to eat.
In addition to food, $1, 000 in gift cards were given to local food pantries to supplement donations with fresh food items from local supermarkets. Sutherland Packaging, a manufacturing firm in Andover Township, donated 125 boxes to help with the distribution.
Summer is often the most challenging time of year for struggling families as school lunch programs end and donations to local food pantries often are at their lowest point all year.
Donations were made to: Andover Presbyterian Church, Andover; Bodhi Monastery, Lafayette; Branchville United Methodist Church, Branchville; Church of the Good Shepherd, Wantage; DASI, Newton; First Baptist Church of Newton, Newton; First Presbyterian Church of Branchville, Branchville; Holy Counselor Lutheran Church, Vernon; Samaritan Inn, Stillwater and St. Francis de Sales Church and Vernon United Methodist Church, both in Vernon.
Participating businesses were: Allstate Insurance, Vernon; Drayer Physical Therapy, Sparta; Firefox Energy, Lafayette; Highland General Store, Highland Lakes (Vernon); Ideal Farm and Garden, Lafayette; Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, Newton; Laddey, Clark & Ryan, Sparta; Lakeland Bank, all Sussex County branches; Navitend, Stanhope; New Jersey Herald, Newton; R. Poust Heating & Cooling, Sparta; Realty Executives, Sparta and SB One Bank, all Sussex County branches.