Coronavirus Increases Hunger: Find A Middlesex County Food Bank

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — When you look around Middlesex County, it's easy to see the effects coronavirus has had on our way of life. What's less visible is the number of people who are now worrying about having enough to eat.

Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief organization, says coronavirus-related economic crises could push the number of food insecure Americans to 54 million by year's end. That's 17 million more Americans than who were food insecure before the pandemic. For some, it's a matter of running short on grocery money before the week is out and eating a lot of boxed pasta and rice dishes.

For others, food insecurity means real hunger.

In Middlesex County, about 60,000 people, or 7 percent, were considered food insecure before the pandemic, according to Feeding America's "Map the Meal Gap" interactive study.

But job losses and other economic crises associated with the coronavirus could push the rate of food insecurity in Middlesex County to 12 percent by the end of 2020.

Feeding America, which has 200 member food banks nationwide, reports both higher demand for services and more need for volunteer and donor support.

Some of the food pantries and other services available in Middlesex County are:

• SUYDAM STREET REFORMED CHURCH Food Pantry 74 Drift Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 249-6803
• CALVARY CHAPEL OF OLD BRIDGE Food Pantry 135 White Oak Lane Old Bridge, NJ (732) 679-4837
• St. George's Anglican/New Life Food Pantry Soup Kitchen 56 Main Street Helmetta, NJ (732) 521-0169
• ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CTR. Food Pantry 2245 Route 130, Ste. 101 Dayton, NJ (732) 983-2468/(732) 355-0225
• ST. PETERS COMM. DEV. CORP Soup Kitchen 505 Main Street Spotswood, NJ (732) 967-4883
• FISH, INC Food Pantry 456 New Market Rd Piscataway, NJ 732-770-5976
• FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF METUCHEN Food Pantry 270 Woodbridge Avenue Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2300
• JAMES O. BRYANT FOOD PANTRY Food Pantry 58 Poplar Rd. Piscataway, NJ (732) 985-4384
• ALDERSGATE OUTREACH COMMUNITY CENTER Food Pantry 562 Ryers Lane East Brunswick, NJ (732) 613-7220/(732) 313-7632
• St. Paul's Lutheran Church Food Pantry 445 Old Post Road. Edison, NJ (732) 287-0888
• ZION HILL BAPTIST CHURCH Food Pantry 450 Highland Avenue Piscataway, NJ (732) 463-9074
• THE HANDS OF HOPE Food Pantry 2136 Woodbridge Avenue Edison, NJ (732) 236-3330
• NEW DESTINY FOOD PANTRY Food Pantry 1330 Livingston Ave. North Brunswick, NJ (732) 246-8850/ 732 485-3050
• NORTH BRUNSWICK FOOD BANK Food Pantry 710 Herman Rd North Brunswick, NJ (732) 247-0922x 293/732-406394
• SRC FIVE LOAVES FOOD PANTRY Food Pantry 100 College Avenue New Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-1019
• SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DEPAUL C/O Food Pantry 29 Abeel Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 309-2142
• ELIJAH'S PROMISE Soup Kitchen 18 Neilson Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-9002 x 116
• NEW BRUNSWICK ENGLISH SDS CHURCH Food Pantry 339 Livingston Avenue New Brunswick, NJ (732) 745-4858
• CHRIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY Food Pantry 5 Paterson Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-6262 x11
• Mount Calvary Missionary Church Food Pantry 150/154 Throop Ave. New Brunswick, NJ (732) 296-9000
• BAYARD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Food Pantry 107 Bayard Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 247-0384
• St. Alban's Episcopal Church Food Pantry 148 Lee. Ave. New Brunswick, NJ (914) 426-2896
• EMANUEL EVANG. LUTHERAN CHURCH Food Pantry 1-3 Kirkpatrick Street New Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-2673
• EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH Soup Kitchen 126 Lee Avenue New Brunswick, NJ (732) 247-2459
• SALVATION ARMY - NEW BRNWK Food Pantry 287 Handy St. New Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-1477

Related: Millions Made Hungry During Pandemic Could Include Your Neighbor

Food insecurity is often thought of as a "poor people's problem," but not all people living in poverty are food insecure, and not all food-insecure people live in poverty. Food insecurity is a complex issue sandwiched in with other systemic challenges, including poverty, low wages, affordable housing shortages, chronic and acute health problems, high medical costs and social isolation.

"Our members are reporting that many of the people they're serving have never sought food assistance before," Kathryn Strickland, Feeding America's chief network officer, told Patch. "Some people are reporting that people who formerly donated to food banks are now seeking assistance."

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 2020, more than 54 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.