United Way Seeks Your Help In Restocking County's Food Pantries

At Thanksgiving and Christmas, food pantries benefit from the generosity of residents at a time when helping the needy is stressed continuously.

In the spring and summer, however, food pantries often struggle to meet the needs of residents, as the emphasis wanes.

To help food pantries throughout Ocean County, the United Way of Ocean County is holding a Spring Food Drive.

The food drive will run through the month of April, and the United Way is asking local businesses and residents to get involved and support their fellow neighbors.

“At our local food pantries, we typically see a shortage of food during the spring and summer months,” said Debbi Winogracki, director of marketing and communications for the United Way of Ocean County. “We need to help restock our food pantries so that residents can meet their basic needs by providing food for their families.”

In some towns, schools have gotten involved in helping to collect donations.

“This is a wonderful experience to get students involved in helping out their community," Jackie Liguori, the director of community impact and volunteerism for the United Way of Ocean County, said. "They can lead their classroom or school in gathering food donations."

"Even a little bit will go a long way and can make a difference for our Ocean County families,” Liguori said.

In addition to non-perishable food items, financial donations and gift cards to grocery stores also are needed. All of the donations stay in Ocean County and go to food pantries such as Ocean County Hunger Relief, The People’s Pantry in Toms River, St. Francis Community Center in LBI, and Emergency & Community Services of Catholic Charities in Lakewood.

The United Way has a list of suggested items on its website; click here.

"We kindly ask that you drop off the donations to our building at 650 Washington Street in Toms River any time before April 29th," Winogracki said.

The office is open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The United Way also will arrange to pick up items from those who are unable to drop them off.