Holiday Food Donations Welcomed At Lunch Break In Red Bank

RED BANK, NJ — Lunch Break's Adopt-A-Family program is underway for the holidays, and donations are needed so food-insecure families can enjoy the season's upcoming celebrations.

This year’s goal is to sponsor more than 1,000 families, according to a news release from Lunch Break.

To ensure families enjoy a traditional and meaningful Thanksgiving and holiday season, Lunch Break, the food pantry and social services agency, began the Adopt-A-Family Holiday Meal Program in 2020. There is a drive-by food donation drop-off at its location at 121 Drs. James Parker Blvd. in Red Bank.

Those wishing to donate can drive up to the collection point and release their car’s trunk or hatch door. Lunch Break volunteers will remove the items and take the donor’s information if a receipt is needed.

To sponsor a family or families this season, Lunch Break is requesting reusable tote bags filled with non-perishable holiday meal items such as yams, instant mashed potatoes, canned corn, green beans and gravy. Also requested is Jello; muffin, pudding and cake mixes; and prepared frosting.

Donations will be accepted from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the following dates: Oct. 5, 12, 18, 20, 25 and 29, and Nov. 2, 9, 11, 15, 19 and 22, the news release said.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Lunch Break has seen steady increases in the number of people requiring direct assistance to put food on the table. Grocery pickups and numbers of meals distributed have risen "exponentially" since 2019 and continue to climb, the news release said.

As of January 2022, Lunch Break already has served more than 64,000 meals and has seen more than 14,000 grocery pickups.

“COVID-19 has certainly been challenging for Lunch Break. In 2020, we were suddenly faced with more new clients and our pantry and kitchen, already stressed from continuous modifications during the height of the pandemic, required additional pounds of food to accommodate the influx,” said Kathy Williams, director of community engagement.

While meeting increasing demand remains a constant juggling effort, Williams is mindful of the community’s unwavering support. “We say this often: We could not have continued our mission to break the cycle of hunger and poverty without our dedicated volunteers, staff, board members and, of course, the generosity of our community.”

Visit https://lunchbreak.org/donate/food/ for sponsorship information. Please direct inquiries to sponsorafamily@lunchbreak.org.

Lunch Break is a 501(c)3 organization located in Red Bank, NJ, providing food, clothing, life skills, and fellowship to residents of greater Monmouth County. All Lunch Break services are free.