Emergency Food Giveaway Event Will Aid Montclair Families

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Essex County will hold an emergency food distribution event in Montclair on Thursday, May 13.

According to a county news release, the event will take place at 9 a.m. in Glenfield Park on Maple Avenue. It’s intended to help families negatively impacted by the coronavirus.

“The 500 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 food,” county officials stated.

Organizers said:

“Residents driving to the site should line up along the eastern side of Maple Avenue, which is heading toward Bloomfield Avenue. Residents walking to the distribution should line up along Maple Avenue. 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. Residents who are driving or walking are asked to not arrive to the site until 8 a.m. This is being done to allow for normal traffic flow through the area and prevent any traffic back-ups from being created. The emergency food boxes contain 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. Only one emergency food box will be placed into a vehicle's trunk or given to each resident who walks to the site. Buses will not be allowed to enter.”

“The coronavirus has created uncertainty and unforeseen challenges for us all,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“We hope this emergency food distribution helps those families who are struggling,” DiVincenzo said, adding that additional emergency food distribution events will be scheduled on a weekly basis.

Patch has partnered 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 2021, about 42 million Americans may 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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