Drive Out Hunger
HELP ENSURE EVERY CHILD HAS ACCESS TO A SCHOOL LUNCH.
Across Greater Mercer County, too many families are facing an impossible choice: pay the bills or put healthy food on the table. United Way of Greater Mercer County is stepping in with a bold response Drive Out Hunger, our new signature initiative to ensure children have the meals they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
Goal: To provide meal assistance for students who do not have the funds to pay for lunch, ensuring that no child goes without a nutritious meal during the school day.
Food Security Initiative
Our multi-pronged food security initiative unites companies, individuals, and advocates to alleviate hunger in Mercer County. These collaborations, led and coordinated by United Way of Greater Mercer County, provide meals, fresh produce, and non-perishables to the food bank and food pantry beneficiaries, especially during the summer months when food becomes even more scarce for households in our community.
With the assistance of volunteers and partners, UWGMC:
- provides meals and collects non-perishable food
- harvests and distributes fresh produce in collaboration with Rolling Harvest Food Rescue
- delivers food pantry packages directly to the homes of those who have mobility issues
- Facilitates access to supplemental income that can be used for basic needs
- through our Free Tax Preparation program (VITA)
- and through our Benefits Access program
Summer Food Drive
As families across New Jersey continue to face rising costs for food, housing, transportation, and other everyday necessities, food insecurity is becoming an even greater concern especially during the summer months when children lose access to free and reduced-price school meals. The combined impact of inflation, stagnant wages, and proposed federal reductions to SNAP and other nutrition supports is placing unprecedented pressure on working families, particularly ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) who often earn too much to qualify for assistance but still struggle to afford basic needs.
- Summer food gap impact
- Families with school-aged children face the equivalent of ~$120+ in additional monthly grocery costs per child during summer months when school meals are unavailable
- This reflects the loss of breakfast and lunch access during the school year
- SNAP and federal benefit reductions (projected impact)
- Expected to increase food insecurity by reducing eligibility and/or benefit levels for working families
- “Working poor” households may fall into a benefit cliff—earning too much to qualify but still unable to afford basic needs
Become a Summer Food Collection Site, email John.Santana@uwgmc.org
Donate to Your Local Food Pantry
The need for food has intensified. Families have to choose between other necessities like housing and healthcare.
To help, donate nonperishables to your local food pantry. Take bags filled with food to your nearest food pantry.
FLAVORS OF THE COMMUNITY
To ensure that local food pantry shelves are stocked with culturally relevant food items so people of all cultures have access to familiar foods, flavors and spices, United Way of Greater Mercer County initiated Flavors of the Community.
Use this Flavors of the Community Guide to inform your next donation to your local food bank or food pantry.
Rolling Harvest Food Rescue
You can help provide fresh fruits and vegetables for families and individuals living in food deserts or struggling to make ends meet. United Way of Greater Mercer County has partnered with Rolling Harvest Food Rescue to help with the distribution of fresh produce to local food pantries.
Volunteers can sign up to clean and gather leftover fresh produce after a harvest with Rolling Harvest. This is a great opportunity to help alleviate hunger in the community.
For more information on these volunteer opportunities, visit the Galaxy Digital portal or contact John Santana at john.santana@uwgmc.org.
Does Someone You Know Need Help?
We all need help sometimes. Play a role by letting family, neighbors, friends, or coworkers know about available resources in the community.
Available resources
For more information
Please contact John Santana at john.santana@uwgmc.org
