From MEND NJ:
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) NJ will host their annual fundraiser on Friday, October 7, 2022 at The Woodland Club, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood NJ.
Known as the “Green Bean Gala,” and now in its fourth year, the gala is MEND’s annual fundraising event to benefit the twenty-three Essex County based food pantries and fifteen community partners that make up its network, working together to alleviate hunger throughout Essex County. The event is named for MEND’s renovated school bus, “The Green Bean,” which was originally used to collect supplemental food and deliver fresh produce to member pantries.
MEND works to collaboratively transform the traditional hunger relief model by learning from and prioritizing the voices of those most impacted. In 2021, to increase fresh food access and advance health equity, MEND created the “MEND on the Move” program, introducing home deliveries and free, fresh food “mobile markets.” Robin Peacock, Executive Director of MEND, explained, “The home deliveries and mobile markets are designed collaboratively with community partners to meet the specific needs of their students, seniors, residents and clients. This program delivers nutritious food directly and consistently to those experiencing barriers to food access.”
Beyond food, MEND provides funding, volunteers, and a collaborative forum for member pantries to share ideas and resources, all with the overarching mission of alleviating hunger, addressing the root causes of food insecurity, and improving overall health and well-being.
Funds raised will be used to increase access to high quality, culturally relevant, fresh and healthy food and other essentials for those impacted by hunger in Essex County; allow for greater collaboration among food pantries, nonprofit organizations, and community partners; and ensure that those impacted by hunger are connected to and aware of needed and available resources beyond food.
### About Meeting Emergency Needs with Dignity (MEND)
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) is a hunger relief network in Essex County, NJ, focused on providing fresh and healthy food by supporting a network of over 20 food pantries located in Bloomfield, East Orange, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark, Orange, South Orange, and West Orange.
MEND
PO Box 1304
Maplewood, NJ 07040
