Community Corner
Millburn/Short Hills Teens Donate To 22 Food Pantries
MEND is planning another food drive in partnership with Kings Short Hills on Nov. 13.
Press release from MEND NJ:
Oct. 24, 2021
Local youth groups such as the Millburn Short Hills Youth baseball, lacrosse and girls Varsity Soccer have conducted food drives at Kings Short Hills to support Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) and its network of 22 food pantries across Essex County.
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This past Saturday, MSHLAX players ranging in age from 10 to 12 spent the afternoon at Kings Short Hills where they solicited donations for essential items such as cooking oil, flour and spices. Robin Peacock, MEND’s Executive Director, explained, “We meet with our pantries twice a month to find out what their clients need - we can’t assume it’s a can of soup and a bag of pasta. Sometimes the need is as simple as salt and pepper to flavor their food.”
This past weekend, the young lacrosse volunteers handed flyers to patrons and then sorted donations and loaded them onto MEND’s Mobile Pantry, a remodeled school bus which is called the “Green Bean”. Greg Edell, coach of Millburn Lacrosse Class of 2028 boys team said, “Having our players take time out of their weekend to give back to the community is so important. The kids had to understand what they were asking for and why. The best part is that the kids really enjoyed themselves and many of them asked me if we can do this again. This will leave an impression on them for years to come.”
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MEND is planning another food drive in partnership with Kings Short Hills on Saturday November 13th between 12pm - 4pm. This drive will be critical to support food pantries in Essex County for the Thanksgiving holiday.
MEND is an interfaith network of 22 member food pantries and community partners located throughout Essex County, NJ. Our hunger relief network, the largest in Essex County, has been providing food to individuals and families in need since 1980.
MEND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that strengthens and supports its food pantry network by providing supplemental fresh and healthy food, funds, volunteers, and a monthly forum for collaboration. MEND also advocates for policies to improve the quality of life for those in need in the County. To learn more about MEND, visit www.mendnj.org or find it on Facebook/Instagram.
This press release was produced by MEND NJ. The views expressed here are the author's own.
