Hillsborough To End Food Pantry Appointments, Refocus Community Assistance Network

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough Township will end the food pantry portion of its Community Assistance Network, with weekly appointments concluding Friday, July 24, said Mayor Catherine Payne at the Township Committee meeting on Tuesday.

"As our community grows and changes, we have a responsibility to ensure our services evolve to meet our residents' most pressing needs," Payne said.

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"After careful review of our regional resources, the township has decided to divest the food pantry portion of the community assistance network with weekly appointments concluding on Friday, July 24," said Payne.

The program had been running for 40 years, and the closure "marks the end of an era."

Payne noted that there are two other food pantries in the area, including Feeding Hands and the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, which "have expanded their capacity right here in Hillsborough to fill that gap."

The township plans to redirect its daily efforts toward other forms of support while continuing some existing distribution work.

"This transition allows us to lean into our seasonal holiday distributions and emergency response efforts while shifting our daily focus to vital, often overlooked services such as financial stability, nutrition, education, mental wellness, and fraud awareness," Payne said.

The Township will continue with its popular seasonal distributions for Spring Holiday, BBQ, Back-to-School, Thanksgiving, and Winter Holiday programs to support local families.

She added that the township does not view the move as a reduction in mission.

"We aren't narrowing our mission. We're simply realigning it to better serve every resident at every stage of life," Payne said.

The mayor also asked residents to continue supporting the township’s updated approach.

"We hope you will continue to stand with us as we support these essential new initiatives," Payne said.

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