Emergency Food Giveaway Event In Belleville At Hendricks Field

BELLEVILLE, NJ — There will be an emergency food distribution event in Belleville on Thursday, March 25, officials say.

According to a municipal advisory, the event will take place at 9 a.m. at the Hendricks Field parking lot, 220 Franklin Avenue. It will be held rain or shine.

Belleville officials said drivers should remain in their cars with the windows rolled up when they arrive at the “contactless” distribution site.

Officials said 500 boxes of food will be distributed on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Essex County officials said the giveaway is meant to benefit families who have been forced out of work and are not able to afford food. Residents will receive one box of non-perishable food items.

According to county officials:

"Residents driving to the site should line up along the northern side of Franklin Avenue before turning right into the golf course parking lot. The line will form on the westbound side of Belleville Avenue before turning right onto Franklin Avenue. Left turns from Franklin Avenue into the parking lot will not be allowed. Residents driving to the site should stay in their vehicles with their windows rolled up and open their trunk when they reach the distribution site. Residents walking to the site should come to a walk-up location on Franklin Avenue. The line should form heading from Joralemon Street. Residents walking to the site must wear a face mask/covering and follow social distancing guidelines. It is recommended that residents walking to the site bring a cart; the boxes weigh about 40 pounds. The box of non-perishable items contains enough food to provide about 40 meals. They consist of a variety of non-perishable food such as oatmeal, rice, fruit, peanut butter, jelly, shelf stable milk and canned vegetables, chili, soup and ravioli. Items may vary based upon their availability. Volunteers will place one emergency food box into each vehicle or to each walk up. Buses will not be allowed to enter."

"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 Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

"We hope this emergency food distribution helps those families who are struggling," he said, adding that additional emergency food distribution events will be scheduled throughout the county on a weekly basis."

Patch has teamed with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

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