Friends,
The Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry needs your help. Let me tell you what you can do for the Pantry before I tell you why. There are three ways you can help us:
- Please help us spread the word. In addition to our weekly grocery deliveries, for the next several weeks we will be holding “Grab and Go” events on Thursday evenings from 4 pm to 6 pm at the School Administration Building (425 S. Main St. in Pennington). Please let your clients and followers know by posting on social media and sending them emails.
- If you know of anyone who you think would benefit from our food deliveries, please send us their names and contact information. We will follow up with them and and offer to sign up for grocery deliveries.
- Let us deliver food to you so you can distribute it to your people in need. We can arrange to deliver just about anywhere and anytime.
Why do we need this help from you?
We know that the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry is not meeting the needs of all the people in the Valley who find themselves to be food insecure. Whether it is poor communication on our part or a sense of pride on the part of residents, many people who would benefit from our regular food deliveries are not signing up.
How do we know this? First, not every family that receives free and reduced lunch has signed up for grocery deliveries. Second, we are hearing stories of residents and business owners who are buying only food for their pets while they themselves go hungry. One person told us that “while she was struggling, she wasn’t needy enough.” Finally, with 15.3% of New Jersey residents unemployed, the statistics indicate that far more than the 50 or so families we serve today are in need.
Today, the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry finds itself with an abundance of food. The generous people of Hopewell Valley are donating food daily. In addition, this week we received a large shipment of groceries and produce from the US Department of Agriculture. Each box of produce contains about 15 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. We will be receiving a similar delivery every week this month. Rolling Harvest, Gravity Hill Farms and the Howell Living History Farm are regularly providing us with boxes of eggs, grains, dairy and fresh produce. On top of all that, the HV Education Association, is donating $3,700 worth of non-perishable groceries this week.
We are blessed with an abundance in this challenging time. Please help us share it with those in our community who are in need.
Submitted by Joe Lawver, Mayor, Pennington Borough
For more information about the HV Mobile Food Pantry, click here or here.
You can also reach them at [email protected] or phone number is 609-403-0327
