How to use this survey

  • This document is the first phase of creating our Food Justice Network in Monmouth Presbytery. Although it’s “bare bones,” it’s a start and we do plan on having the info in a much more accessible format later in 2017.
  • For each congregation that responded to the Hunger Survey in 2016, the info they submitted is there. If your congregation didn’t respond to the survey, you can still do so—click here to go to the survey.
  • If you want to look at the info for a particular congregation, use the Index at the top of the document, then click on the link for that congregation to go to that info in the document.
  • If you would like to update the information for your own congregation, please get in touch with Phyllis Zoon by email or phone (201) 910-7047.

Index

Allentown / Atlantic Highlands, First / Barnegat, Wright Memorial
Bayview, Principe de Paz / Bayville, Morning Star / Belmar, First
Bordentown, First / Brick / Cranbury, First
East Brunswick, Trinity / Englishtown, First / Farmingdale, Pierce Memorial
Forked River / Freehold, First / Hightstown, First
Jackson, Cornerstone / Jacksonville / Jamesburg
Korean / Lakehurst / Lakewood, First
Lakewood, Hope / Lincroft / Long Branch, First
Manasquan, First / Matawan, First / Middletown
Neptune, Martin Luther King / New Egypt, Plumsted / New Gretna
Ocean, Church on the Hill / Perrineville, United of Millstone / Point Pleasant
Red Bank, First / Retreat, Oak Grove / Rumson
Sayreville, First / Shrewsbury / South Amboy, First
Tennent, Old Tennent / Tinton Falls, Hope / Toms River
Tuckerton, First / Yardville

AllentownBack to Index

ContactDawn Koetting, Pantry Coordinator;; (609) 585-3668 (home); (609) 610-9306 (cell). The best way to reach me is email.

Garden?We do have a community garden. Fresh produce is brought to the pantry mornings before the pantry opens when available -- in season. It is greatly appreciated by our clients and always goes out to clients that day. We are currently working with Girl Scouts who are looking into creating a cookbook filled with recipes and instructions on how to work with the fresh produce. They plan to write this in both English and Spanish.

In addition, we work closely with Farmers Against Hunger who supply us with produce fresh from the farm when they have an abundance. This should continue through Thanksgiving.

Food PantryWe have a food pantry -- The Allentown Food Pantry. The pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am until 2 pm.

We receive around 5,000 pounds of food for distribution from the state and federal governments delivered by truck once a month. We are also generously supported by the Allentown Presbyterian Church's Mission Committee. In addition to providing funding and physical space for our pantry, many of our members and youth regularly work with the pantry. We are blessed to live in a generous community. Many local churches, organizations and individuals contribute to the pantry's success.

Other

Number served:The Allentown Food Pantry serves around 350 families a month, around 1100 individuals.

Gleaning- I don't believe we have a gleaning program, but we have been asked to work with Farmers Against Hunger to assist in their gleaning this fall.

NotesSafe Link? It is a government program to distribute free cell phones to low income individuals. This is for safety and for job interview contact. Our representative is Cynthia Dozier, (732) 221-7365

Greatest hunger need: - While families come to us once a week, we are only able to send them home with enough food for two or three days. We are working with Girl Scouts who are researching information on other pantries in each town that our clients can also visit.

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) serves dinner one evening each week in a local church near us. Although it is in close proximity to us, and many of our clients take advantage of this offering, it is physically in Mercer County (which is why they are able to serve food from Trenton) and we are in Monmouth County.

A big problem I see is that there are many needs out there, and there are few services available. We need to be able to connect those clients in need with services. Let our clients know where else they can go for food and other services.

Atlantic Highlands, FirstBack to Index

ContactRay Carroll, Clerk of Session 732-872-1048 please contact me via email

Garden?No

Food PantryCommunity Food Pantry

Othercontribute to the AACC (Area Association of Community Churches) in Atlantic Highlands

Number served: Unknown

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:

Barnegat, Wright MemorialBack to Index

ContactJane Falzini Clerk of Session

Garden?No

Food Pantry

OtherWe send food baskets to our local Head Start at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. One Sunday a month we have Project Share when we open our food pantry to the congregation as well as bring in fresh food to share with each other. We also get occasional requests from are families.

Number served:Difficult to say

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Getting healthy meals to children and the elderly is the biggest need.

Bayview, Principe de PazBack to Index

Bayville, Morning StarBack to Index

ContactSecretary, 732-606-9700,

Garden?No

Food PantryYes—their own

Other

Number served:130

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Food pantries, soup kitchens, community gardens

Belmar, FirstBack to Index

ContactMorris, Pastor, Ch Ofc Ph # (732) 681-8685, E-mail: <>. The best ways to Bill contact me would be Ch Ph (leave msg if no one answers; I do ck msgs several times each day) or via my e-mail.

Garden?No. Our church does not have a community garden. We do have a Memorial Garden in the churchyard. Although, I have given some passing thought to "could we include a community vegetable garden in the churchyard?". However, with the efforts to develop the Memorial Garden, and our 4 years of recovery/restoration work from the major damages we sustained due to Superstorm Sandy in Oct 2012, I have not raised the subject of a possible community vegetable garden.

Food PantryOur church does have our own Food Pantry. Operated by our Deacons, our pantry is open on Thursdays, from 10am-Noon. {There are 3 other church Food Pantries in Belmar, all of us as partners within the Belmar Council of Churches.} We participate in Monmouth County (Red Bank) CHOP Walk; the "Souper Bowl of Caring"; and with Family Promise, as a "Support Congregation" and their "Cardboard Box City" program (which advocates for the homeless, and, raises awareness about homelessness & the related hunger issues).

Other

Number served:Our Food Pantry's number of people served have dropped somewhat since last year. We average 5 "people" per week (some of these do represent families, of around 3-5 people); so approximately 20 "people" per month. [2 other congregation's Food Pantries in Belmar have stated that they have 20 "people" (most likely families) per week.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Many of the programs that you are supporting/enacting: Advocacy and Awareness programs; congregation partnering; Food Pantries; community gardens, etc.

Bordentown, FirstBack to Index

BrickBack to Index

ContactDoug Chase, Pastor

Garden?No

Food PantryYes—their own

Other

Number served:number varies dependent upon need/requests Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter are highest numbers at about 50 to 60 each time.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Elimination of poverty, by creating adequate employment and supporting programs that do job training and provide employment opportunities so people can have food and shelter.

Cranbury, FirstBack to Index

ContactCarol Kientz, Clerk of Session & Co-Coordinator of our church's Food Pantry (Called "Skeet's Pantry")

Garden? No

Food PantryYes

Other

Number served: Our food pantry provides food once/ month to an average of 80 families (many more in Nov. and Dec.). In addition to 2 bags of staples, each family can choose from a variety of fresh veggies and fruit from the Trenton Farmers Cooper. Average of about 250 people in those 80+ families

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need: More "easy access" food distribution/ pantry sites. Too many churches seem to make the process difficult for families by requiring an arranged appointment in advance, as well as insufficient advertising. We wind up with families from all over both Mercer and Middlesex Counties because it is either hard for them to use a local food pantry or they can't find info about food pantries in their own communities. We welcome everyone, no matter where they live.

East Brunswick, TrinityBack to Index

ContactJanet M. Carrato, Chair, Mission Commission and Session member; cell phone 732-600-1802; email .

Garden?We have a fenced-in garden in the rear yard/lot where members may garden in a plot. Often the abundance of produce is shared with the congregation/placed in the narthex on Sunday mornings for people to help themselves. Our flower arrangement/arrangements are composed of cut flowers from the garden, also. The area in the rear was converted years ago into a butterfly/wildflower meadow. All these projects speak to our status as a Green Faith congregation.

Food PantryParticipate in community/ecumenical/interfaith

Other

Number served:We have an on-site food pantry and collect food to donate to CUPA in Spotswood the first Sunday of every month. For more than 25 years, we have had a ministry at Elijah's Promise (the second Wednesday of each month). We also financially support the Jamesburg Pres. Church Deacon's Food Pantry and Aldersgate United Methodist Church's Crisis Center. At Elijah's between 100-130 meals served; I'd have to research the others.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Families with young children, low and very-low income families and seniors, and the homeless.

Englishtown, FirstBack to Index

ContactBarbara Z Blue, Mission Coordinator-ruling

Garden?Currently do not have,hopes in future plans,to supply fresh vegetables to our Ecafe' via a congregational garden.

Food PantryYes.

OtherSamaritan Center food pantry is a focus of our support.

Number served:20-30 monthly through free community dinner in our fellowship hall. Approx 175 families are fed through Samaritan Center which is generously supported by Englishtown First Presbyterian by monetary and non perishable donations throughout the year.

GleaningMeals for home bound and those recovering surgery. After annual pancake breakfast and turkey supper, left over meals are delivered to home bound and those identified in need or want.

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Meals for Seniors on fixed income in community and before school breakfast program for local school children.

Farmingdale, Pierce MemorialBack to Index

Forked RiverBack to Index

Contact Lynne Zahumeny, Clerk of Session Phone: 609 242-3983 Email:

Garden? No

Food PantryNo

OtherWe participate in a community/ecumenical/interfaith food pantry/soup kitchen/other feeding program. Our church group is called H.A.T. (Hunger Action Team). They support our local Lacey food bank by packing and donating

Number served: Our group supplies food for 175 families/month. In addition, the group packs food and provides financial assistance to the Lacey Summer Lunch Program for school children.

Gleaning

NotesOur group purchases the fresh produce from a local farmer and the farmer often supplements the purchase with additional produce.

Greatest hunger need: Our challenge is to increase our efforts to provide food to those in need.

Freehold, FirstBack to Index

ContactSandra Whitehill, Mission Chair 732. 984-1424

Garden?We did have a church garden a few years ago, to supply vegetables to our local food pantry, but did not have support from church members, so it only lasted for 2 years. Too much work for one person.

Food PantryWe participate in a community/ecumenical/interfaith food pantry/soup kitchen/other feeding program.

OtherWeekly food donations to Open Door Food Pantry & monthly 'loose change' collections for their advocacy programs. Heavy "Sanctuary Program" soup kitchen support, 2x/wk in winter months only (mid-Dec to mid-March). We provide the cook, manage the volunteers & supplies, with financial help from individuals in the community, PW circles & Latino Coalition, under whose umbrella Sanctuary Program is organized

Number served:Winter months, mid-Dec to mid-March: around 400 per month through Sanctuary Program.

Small amounts of canned goods given to Open door Food Pantry. Difficult to quantify.

Homeless families fed as we take our turn in the Family Promise roster, x5/year for a week at a time. We provide breakfast, take-away lunches & dinners for up to 14 people for 7 days, for 5 weeks of the year.

GleaningBut....we used to participate in Harvest Program by Food Donation Collection 2 years ago, who connected us with local restaurants for their leftovers. This worked well for Sanctuary Program meals. But, since Sanctuary Program only runs through the winter, we had no other outlet for the food & I called to discontinue pick-ups. So the following Fall, they had no links for us.

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Healthy meals for the poor & challenged, so that they don't have to cook or pick up a mixed bag of non-perishables that they might not use or want. We need to study more how to engage Hispanic food needs, since women & children rarely show up at our food pantry or almost never at the Sanctuary Program. We know they are poor; I wonder what the children are getting to maximize their health...

Hightstown, FirstBack to Index

ContactSheri Devlin, Office Manager 609-448-0055 mailto: Email is best form of contact.

Garden?No

Food PantryWe participate in a community/ecumenical/interfaith food pantry/soup kitchen/other feeding program.

Other

Number served:150

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Free meals and food pantries

Jackson, CornerstoneBack to Index

ContactSharron Smith - Clerk of Session Please email me if needed at

Garden?

Food Pantry

OtherWe participate in a community/ecumenical/interfaith food pantry/soup kitchen/other feeding program.

Number served:No info available.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need: Supplementing our local food pantries and giving children food sources when they are not in school.

JacksonvilleBack to Index

ContactKathy Leedom Clerk 609 864 3696 evenings

Garden?No

Food PantryThey have their own

Other1/month lunch at Christian Caring Center

Number served:CCC lunch 30-35; food pantry 5 families

GleaningYes—Specca family participates (congregation member) in farmers against hunger and offers our congregation the opportunity to glean, along with other FAH volunteers. Not sure how many are involved

Notes

Greatest hunger need: Not sure

Jamesburg, FirstBack to Index

ContactJohn W. Drozdowski, Coordinator; Home 732-521-6081; ; church office 7320521-1711

Garden?No

Food PantryYes

OtherAssist St. James RC Church Soup Kitchen

Number served:350 adults and children

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Food items

KoreanBack to Index

LakehurstBack to Index

ContactElder in charge of missions. 610-657-9664. E-mail address is and is the best way to reach me

Garden?No

Food PantryYes—last Wednesday of each month

Other

Number served:Approx. 12 families and 14 singles

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Grandparents providing for grandchildren

Lakewood, FirstBack to Index

ContactClerk of Session.

Garden?No

Food PantryNo

OtherCommunity lunch recently discontinued because of “unreasonable insurance requirements.”

Number served:

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need: Feeding the homeless / semi-homeless.

Lakewood, HopeBack to Index

LincroftBack to Index

Long Branch, FirstBack to Index

Manasquan, FirstBack to Index

ContactLisa Ward, Administrative Assistant, (732) 292-0677 mailto:

Garden?No

Food PantryYes—their own

Other

Number served:160

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:

Matawan, FirstBack to Index

ContactSis DeMarco, member- Mission Commission, coordinator-Matawan Community Food Pantry. 732-441-0019. Email is the best way to contact me:

Garden?No

Food PantryYes—their own. Co-sponsored with Cross of Glory Lutheran Church in Aberdeen. Our supplies come from community donations and donations and purchases from the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Other

Number served:Approximately 200 people from 80 households (more during Thanksgiving and Christmas distributions.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need:Providing for and educating about healthy food choices

Middletown, WestminsterBack to Index

ContactJill Scanlon - Moderator of the Deacons, 973-802-4605, Karen Kane-Augustyniak - PAR Garden Coordinator,

Garden?Our PAR Garden provides fresh organic produce to Friends feeding Families. They are a local food pantry that serves an estimated 500 families in the area. Friends Feeding Families main recipients are those in the Bayshore area that are still trying to recover from the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy. Residents are paying rent, and paying mortgages on homes they cannot live in, as they continue to repair and recover. Our PAR Garden also provides produce at direct request to community members in need

Food PantryWe have a small food pantry that is open to anyone and is only advertised through church members. All access is coordinated through the moderator of the Deacons (Jill Scanlon) or the church office. In addition to coordinated holiday food orders, one off orders are available upon request. Most orders are also supplemented with $25 food store (Foodtown or Shoprite) gift cards.

Other

Number served:2015 we supplied 58 food orders (4.8 per month). Our PAR Garden provided 988 lbs of produce to Friends Feeding Families and local families.

GleaningNo

Notes

Greatest hunger need: Those families living on the edge of the poverty line who do not qualify for or get enough assistance from regulated programs. We serve families with: low paying (most of our efforts) or loss of a job; loss of a parent through divorce; families with a member dealing with an illness

Neptune, Martin Luther KingBack to Index

New Egypt, PlumstedBack to Index

ContactCarol Robb, Clerk of Session email ; Phyllis Zoon, Interim Pastor

Garden?Giving Garden provides fresh produce for two food pantries (Plumsted and Emley’s Hill UMC) and members of the congregation. Community Garden (new in 2016) provides 15 plots for community to grow their own vegetables and flowers.