Thanksgiving Food Drive Starts Wednesday At IMA Locations

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — For the ninth year, IMA Medical Care & Primary Care is once again hosting their Thanksgiving food drive.

IMA asks its patients and the public to drop off non-perishable Thanksgiving food items at their locations throughout Monmouth County. The public is asked to drop off food from Nov. 4 - Nov. 18.

All the collected food will be given to Middletown Helps Its Own and Lunch Break to decide how to distribute from there. These two groups will be making Thanksgiving food baskets and boxes for families in need across Middletown and the greater Monmouth County area.

Here are all the IMA locations where you can drop off food from Nov. 4 - Nov. 18, during normal office hours.

• Family Practice of Middletown – 18 Leonardville Road, Middletown
• Hazlet Family Care – 3253 Route 35, Hazlet
• Red Bank Family Medicine – 35 Gilbert Street S, Tinton Falls
• Red Bank Family Medicine – 231 Maple Avenue, Red Bank
• Red Bank Medical – 175 Patterson Avenue, Shrewsbury
• River Road Primary Care – 569 River Road, Fair Haven
• IMA Medical Care Shrewsbury – 1026 Broad Street, Shrewsbury
• IMA Medical Care Middletown – 363 Route 36, Port Monmouth

Here is suggested food they are looking for:

• Canned vegetables (corn, green beans, yams)
• Cranberry sauce and gravy (jars or cans)
• Boxed stuffing mix and instant mashed potatoes
• Canned soups, broths, and stews
• Macaroni and cheese, pasta, and rice
• Non-perishable dessert mixes

Middletown Helps Its Own is a locally run, 100% volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing emergency food, holiday baskets and assistance to anyone who needs help and lives in Middletown. Lunch Break, a food pantry located in Red Bank, freely provides food, clothing, life skills training and fellowship to residents of Monmouth County and beyond who are struggling to make ends meet.

"Our annual holiday food drive is a vital tradition that allows us to give back to the community we serve," said Dr. Brendan Mulholland of IMA. "We are proud to partner once again with Middletown Helps Its Own and Lunch Break. Both organizations work tirelessly year-round to provide food and services to Monmouth County neighbors in need, and your donations will directly help them fill plates and bring hope to hundreds of our neighbors this Thanksgiving."