Mercer Street Friends Food Bank distributes 4,000 turkeys for local Thanksgiving dinners

Administrators, volunteers and agencies involved in food insecurity outreaches experience numerous feelings and realities about their mission.

For instance, Mercer Street Friends Food Bank distributed 4,000 turkeys in two days, centerpiece items that will feed approximately 60,000 people for Thanksgiving.

Last year, MSFFB, distributed 3,000 turkeys and supplementary meal items that fed about 50,000 people. “And last year we outreached to about 60 partner agencies. We have 92 now. Last year we gave out 3,000 turkeys and that still did not meet the need. It’s the good and bad of being in the hunger business,” Dr. Denalarie Johnson-Faniel, director for Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, explained.

“We have people on the waiting list this year and that bothers me because there’s so much more that we need to do. There are financial constraints. We need more corporate sponsors and volunteers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for all that we have.”

Mercer Street Friends Food Bank received additional support from sponsor NRG which supplied 250 gift certificates, “plus, 300 meal bags. That food willl be used to supplement the turkeys so that families can have a well-balanced Thanksgiving dinner.”

“We also have had Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts volunteer as well as some other youth who attend with their parents. It’s sort of like a mentor-mentee effort. Many hands and hearts are involved in our food outreach efforts,” Johnson-Faniel said.

Mercer Street Friends distributed approximately 3100 turkeys on Wednesday as vans, cars and trucks pulled into the facility in Ewing Township. More help awaits as Mercer Street Friends Food Bank awaits another delivery. “FreshDirect,” an online grocer, “is bringing a truck from the Bronx on Monday with 100 turkeys and sides to help with feeding local families,” Johnson-Faniel noted. “This delivery is in addition to a Fresh Direct Day that we had when they donated 22,000 pounds of food.” “These were highend products, organic, gluten-free, healthy foods. We didn’t have refrigerator space to store their contributions. So, we contacted as many food pantries as possible. We had a line around the block. That connection with FreshDirect is a blessing.”

Johnson-Faniel expressed no surprise about a proliferation of food insecurity. “It’s actually an embarrassment that so many communities, families and individuals struggle to put food on the table and in their bodies,” she said.

“I am amazed about the amount of support we receive from corporate sponsors, businesses and individuals who help Mercer Street Friends,” Johnson-Faniel praised.

The Mercer Street Friends Food Bank channels 2.7 million pounds of food and groceries annually to a network of 90 local food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, meal sites,schools, senior and disabled programs and low-income housing sites. Their food distribution and hunger prevention programs reach over 30,000 people who face the pain and indignity of hunger.

The Food Bank is located at 824 Silvia Street, Ewing Township.

To donate food, volunteer or inquire about how to become an agency member, call 609-406-0503 or email foodbankinfo@mercerstreetfriends.org.