Strike Out Hunger (SOH): Series of Events

SOH 1oth anniv logo

STRIKE OUT HUNGER OVERVIEW:

Strike Out Hunger is a multi-prong initiative that unites companies, individuals, and advocates to alleviate hunger in Mercer County. The United Way estimates that there were already over 61,000 local families struggling to make ends meet and to put food on their table*, and since the pandemic this number has exponentially increased. Strike Out Hunger provides 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, Strike Out Hunger will provide meals through our signature meal packing event; harvest and distribute fresh produce; collect non-perishable food; deliver food pantry packages directly to the homes of those who have mobility issues. This year to ensure that local food pantry shelves are stocked with culturally relevant food items we initiated ‘Flavors of the Community' a guide to culturally relevant food items so people of all cultures have access to familiar foods, flavors and spices. SOH also includes accessing supplemental income that can be used for basic needs through our Free Tax Preparation program (VITA) and our Benefit Access program.

*Source: United Way NJ ALICE Report 2023 & Feeding America 2020


 

Summer Food Drive

 

Hunger does not take a vacation! You can get involved and help alleviate food insecurity in our community during the summer months when pantry pantries need it most.

 

Donate Non-Perishable Food:

Drop off food at one of our many local food collection site partners OR at a community food pantry near you.

 

 

Become a Food Collection Site:

  1. Sign up at www.uwgmc.org/sohsitesignup
  2. We will drop off a food donation box at your site and provide promotional flyers for distribution. Check this list for suggested non-perishables

  3. The collection will happen during the month of July.  
  4. United Way of Greater Mercer County staff will coordinate the pick-up of donations.

 

 


 

Trenton Summer Food Service

 

The City of Trenton provides free summer meals to children 17 years of age and younger during the summer months when school is out. Free healthy meals and great outdoor activities are available Monday-Friday at various park locations beginning on July 1, 2024 and ending on August 23, 2024.  

For List of locations visit: www.trentonnj.org/724/Summer-Food-Service

 


 

Volunteer Opportunities

 

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 glean, and gather leftover fresh produce after a harvest with Rolling Harvest. This is a great opportunity to help alleviate hunger in the community.

JFCS gleaning

 

For more information on these volunteer opportunities visit Galaxy Digital portal or contact Denise Daniels at denise.daniels@uwgmc.org

 


 

Flavors of the Community

 

‘Flavors of the Community' is designed to support neighbors experiencing food insecurity. It ensures that local food pantry shelves are stocked with culturally relevant food items, so people of all cultures have access to foods, flavors and spices they are familiar with.  

View a PDF of the Flavors Brochure

 


 

Donate to Your Local Food Pantry

 

The need for food has intensified as a result of the pandemic. Families have to choose between other necessities like housing and healthcare.

To help, donate nonperishables to your local food pantry. Take a bag(s) filled with food to your nearest food pantry.

 


Meal Packing Event Kickoff

 

Thank you to all the participants in the Strike Out Hunger meal packing event.  Together you packaged over 50,000 meals that will be distributed to local food bank and food pantry partners to ensure families have access to food throughout the year – particularly during the summer months when food becomes even more scarce.

June 11, 2024
10 AM-12 PM
The College of New Jersey
2000 Pennington Rd
Ewing, NJ 08628

 

Check out photos from this years event! 

Check out event photos from 2023.

Check out event photos from 2022.


Celebrity Bartender Fundraising Event

Fundraising event to benefit Strike Out Hunger

This event will return in 2025

All TIPS will benefit the UWGMC Strike Out Hunger Initiative

2024 Celebrity Bartenders includes: Nina Melker (County Commissioner, William Penn Bank),  Hal English (Princeton Mercer Chamber), Frank Lucchesi (PSEG), Jeremy Deck (HUB International Limited), Jeff Hurley (Trenton Thunder), Kat Lekko (Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber), Claire Cossaboon (Grounds For Sculpture), Chris English (William Penn Bank), Dan Smith, Lori Denko (DanMor Mechanical)

and featured the 94.5 FM PST Chris and the Crew Morning Show – Chris Rollins, Joe & Gianna

 

Celebrity Bartender post

 


 

Does Someone You Know Need Help?

We all need help sometimes. As a result of the pandemic, more families and individuals are struggling to put food on their tables. Play a role by letting family, neighbors, friends, or coworkers know about available resources in the community.

Available resources

 


For more information

Please contact Denise Daniels at denise.daniels@uwgmc.org

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Rolling Harvest Food Rescue        Mercer Street Friends Foodbank     Jewish Family and Children's Service

 

 

SOH 10 Years - Milestones at-a-glance

SOH Decade of Milestones

Download a copy of Milestone here 

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS

POWER HITTER SPONSORS

Horizon NJ Health

 

 

NJM Insurance Group

 

LEAD RUNNER SPONSORS

Wegmans

 

STARTING PITCHER SPONSORS 

bank of princeton logorotary logo

 

HOST SPONSOR

The College of New Jersey

 

MEDIA SPONSOR

Sound Choice Media

 

 

For PDF of 2024 SPONSORSHIP PACKET Click Here 

 

DIAMOND: $10,000 – EXCLUSIVE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY

  • Brief speaking role by a company representative during the Strike Out Hunger kick-off event in June
  • Membership to United Way Tocqueville Society (national benefits)
  • Feature article in one (1) monthly e-newsletter
  • Logo on food collection box in locations throughout Mercer County during summer months
  • Logo on signage at Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • One (1) employee participation on Strike Out Hunger Committee; Benefits to committee participation include networking with business and civic leaders and additional recognition on social media, UWGMC website, annual report, and other outreach & marketing collaterals
  • One (1) exhibit table on event day kick-off (bring your promotional materials & products)
  • Company team registration for up to 25 to participate in meal packing at the Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Special acknowledgment during Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Inclusion in UWGMC’s social media for the kick-off event (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
  • Sponsor-level recognition in press releases, ads, PSAs, eblasts and website related to Strike Out Hunger media impressions reaching more than 10,000
  • Listing under Caring Corporations on the UWGMC website

 

HOME RUN: $7,500 – 3 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

  • Feature article in one (1) monthly e-newsletter
  • Logo on food collection box in locations throughout Mercer County during summer months
  • Logo on signage at Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • One (1) employee participation on Strike Out Hunger Committee; Benefits to committee participation include networking with business and civic leaders and additional recognition on social media, UWGMC website, annual report, and other outreach & marketing collaterals
  • One (1) exhibit table on event day kick-off (bring your promotional materials & products)
  • Company team registration for up to 20 to participate in meal packing at the Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Special acknowledgment during Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Inclusion in UWGMC’s social media for the kick-off event (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
  • Sponsor-level recognition in press releases, ads, PSAs, eblasts and website related to Strike Out Hunger media impressions reaching more than 10,000
  • Listing under Caring Corporations on the UWGMC website

 

POWER HITTER: $5,000 - 5 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

  • Logo on signage at Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • One (1) employee participation on Strike Out Hunger Committee; Benefits to committee participation include networking with business and civic leaders and additional recognition on social media, UWGMC website, annual report, and other outreach & marketing collaterals
  • One (1) exhibit table on event day kick-off (bring your promotional materials & products)
  • Company team registration for up to 15 to participate in meal packing at the Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Special acknowledgment during Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Inclusion in UWGMC’s social media for the kick-off event (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
  • Sponsor-level recognition in press releases, ads, PSAs, eblasts and website related to Strike Out Hunger – media impressions reaching more than 10,000
  • Listing under Caring Corporations on the UWGMC website

 

LEAD RUNNER: $2,500 - 15 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

  • Company team registration for up to 10 to participate in meal packing at the Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Special acknowledgment during Strike Out Hunger kick-off event
  • Inclusion in UWGMC’s social media for the kick-off event (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
  • Sponsor-level recognition in press releases, ads, PSAs, eblasts and website related to Strike Out Hunger – media impressions reaching more than 10,000
  • Listing under Caring Corporations on the UWGMC website

For more information contact 

Sandra Toussaint at sandra.toussaint@uwgmc.org

The Strike Out Hunger Committee provides their expertise, time, and efforts to help make our initiative a success. 

Eden Aaronson    
Jewish Family and Children's Service

Claire Cossaboon
Grounds For Sculpture

Desmond Hayes    
GeoGreens

Therese Hollander    
Northfield Bank

Jennifer Keyes - Maloney        
The College of New Jersey

Judy Lansing
M&T Bank

Kathleen Lekko
Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber

Joe Lemkin
Stark & Stark

Sal Levatino
Princeton Rotary/ SL Business Solutions

Jessica Malone
Princeton University 

Rajashekar (Raj) Manimaran
The College of New Jersey

Mary Moulds    
NJ Pagents

Marion Reison
Eating For Your Health

Jeff Richardson
NJM Insurance Group

Ryan Sherberg        
Mercer Street Friends

Elvin Santiago    
Horizon-BCBSNJ

Peggi Shader-Gother     
Investors Bank

Hillary Spivak    
Arbonne

Sue Tame    
Ernst & Young

Kira Williams    
Mercer Street Friends

Jennifer Woods      
RWJF and UWGMC Board Member

Elyse Yerrapathrun    
Rolling Harvest

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SOH Committee