From Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Freeholder President Brendan Gill, and Vice President Wayne Richardson:
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Freeholder President Brendan Gill, and Vice President Wayne Richardson are partnering with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to present an Emergency Food Distribution Event to help families negatively impacted by the Coronavirus. The 2,000 boxes of food that will be distributed are meant to benefit families who have been forced out of work and are not able to afford to purchase food.
It will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Essex County Branch Brook Park
Cherry Blossom Welcome Center
Enter Park via Heller Parkway
Newark, NJ
It will be held RAIN or SHINE.
“The Coronavirus has forced an enormous amount of people out of work and created food insecurity among residents who now have limited income or no income at all. Essex County has a long relationship with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and we are pleased to partner with them to present this Emergency Food Distribution Event to help those who are in dire need,” DiVincenzo, Gill and Richardson said in a joint statement. “The Coronavirus has created uncertainty and unforeseen challenges for us all. We hope this emergency food distribution helps those families who are struggling,” they said.
“We are grateful for the longstanding relationship that CFBNJ has with Essex County and for this most recent coordinated effort in response to the coronavirus outbreak,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “As the economic impacts of the pandemic worsen, we turn to partners like them to get nutritious food out to those who need it most, whether they were already struggling before this crisis or find themselves in need for the first time in their lives,” he added.
Residents who want to take advantage of this free giveaway must enter Branch Brook Park by the Heller Parkway entrance or other more southern entrances. Cars entering from Mill Street or other northern entrances WILL NOT be allowed to make a left turn into the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center parking lot. In addition, residents are asked to not arrive on site until 8 a.m. Vehicles that arrive before 8 a.m. will be asked to leave. This is being done to allow for normal traffic flow through the park and prevent any traffic back-ups from being created.
The emergency food boxes prepared by the Community FoodBank of New Jersey contain enough food to provide for 40 meals. They consist of a variety of non-perishable food such as cornmeal, oatmeal, rice, fruit, peanut butter, jelly, shelf stable milk and canned vegetables, chili, soup and ravioli. Items may vary based upon their availability.
The emergency food boxes will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. When residents arrive at the site, they are be asked to keep their windows rolled up and to open their trunk. Volunteers will place one emergency food box into each vehicle.
This event will only provide boxes to cars. Buses will not be allowed to enter. In addition, people walking to the site cannot be assisted.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 50 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.
