Food Banks Listed for Mercer County, New Jersey
We found 7 food banks listed for Mercer County, New Jersey. Call before you go to confirm hours and what to bring. You can also see food pantries in Mercer County, New Jersey.
The Salvation Army - Red Bank Corps
Phone: (732) 747-1626
Address: 180 Newman Springs Rd, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Services provided :
- Bible Study - Correspondence
- Camping Activities
- Casework Services
- Character Building Programs
- Christian Education
- Community Recreation & Education Programs
- Community Recreation Programs
- Day Camp Activities
- Disaster Services
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Emergency Shelter
- Food & Nutrition
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Men's Ministries
- Missing Persons
- Music & Arts Programs
- Residential Camping Activities
- Seasonal Services
- Women's Ministries
- Worship Services - Children's / Teen
- Worship Services - Church
- Worship Services - Sunday School
- Worship Services - Young Adult
- Worship Services - Youth Ministries
Appointments :
Call (732) 747-1626 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Counties:
- Middlesex
- Union
- Essex
- Hudson
- Somerset
- Bergen
- Monmouth
- Mercer
- Ocean
- Morris
The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Inc.
Phone: (732) 918-2600
Address: 3300 Route 66, Neptune, NJ 07753. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The FoodBank began in 1984 when three people saw hunger at the Jersey shore and decided to make a difference. They purchased a small, dilapidated warehouse in Spring Lake. Carpenters, masons and other members of the community donated work, office furniture and supplies. Food streamed in from hundreds of donors. After one year, the FoodBank was serving 25 charities with 100,000 pounds of food. Ten years later, nearly two million pounds of food was being distributed annually from the same small warehouse. Bursting at the seams, the FoodBank undertook a capital campaign in 1998 to construct a new facility in Neptune. Three years later, the current 40,000 sq. ft facility became a reality. Today, the FoodBank serves over 260 pantries, soup kitchens and other feeding programs with over 8 million pounds of food distributed annually. The FoodBank also operates a Culinary Training Program for people in need of better-paid jobs, a Kids Café and Backpack program for children, a Mobile Pantry, and Food Stamp Outreach Program. With the help of roughly 1,000 volunteers each year, the FoodBank’s programs are truly a community effort, working to eliminate hunger by providing emergency food, skills training, outreach programs and advocacy for families in need.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (732) 918-2600 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Neptune
Help Residents of Counties:
- Middlesex
- Union
- Monmouth
- Burlington
- Mercer
- Ocean
- Somerset
Food Bank of South Jersey
Phone: (856) 662-4884
Address: 1501 John Tipton Blvd, Pennsauken, NJ 08110. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The Food Bank of South Jersey exists to provide an immediate solution to the urgent problem of hunger by providing food to needy people, teaching them to eat nutritiously, and helping them to find sustainable ways to improve their lives.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (856) 662-4884 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Pennsauken
Help Residents of Counties:
- Burlington
- Gloucester
- Camden
- Monmouth
- Mercer
- Salem
- Ocean
- Atlantic
- Hunterdon
NORWESCAP Food Bank
Phone: (908) 454-4322
Address: 201 N Broad St, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The Food Bank is dedicated to ending hunger and reducing food waste by soliciting, storing and distributing donated food and other products to charitable organizations. The Food Bank is a subsidiary of the Feeding America Food Bank Network which distributes donations of surplus food from food manufacturers, wholesalers, distribution centers and food brokers. The Food Bank also distributes USDA commodities to member shelters, soup kitchens, and emergency food pantries. The Food Bank encourages and assists local groups, schools, churches, clubs and corporations to conduct food drives to help end hunger.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (908) 454-4322 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Phillipsburg
Help Residents of Counties:
- Hunterdon
- Morris
- Sussex
- Somerset
- Warren
- Mercer
Food Bank Network of Somerset County - Main Warehouse
Phone: (732) 560-1813
Address: 9 Easy St Apt E, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The mission of The Food Bank Network is to distribute food and to provide other basic human needs to those less fortunate in our community in a manner recognizing and advancing self-worth and human dignity. Working through food pantries located in Somerville, Bound Brook and North Plainfield, and a warehouse in Bridgewater, our goal is to help create the opportunity for each person to become selfsufficient. The Foodbank Network works with Somerset County residents referred by other county agencies, such as the Board of Social Services, Food Stamps, Alternatives, Richard Hall, S.H.I.P., Catholic Charities, Group Home, United Way, Home-Sharing, D.Y.F.S., and Agape House. To do this, the Food Bank Network counts of the support of staff members, a volunteer board of directors, and countless volunteers across the county who give their time and their donations to the Network to help us continue to work towards our goals.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (732) 560-1813 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Bridgewater
Help Residents of Counties:
- Middlesex
- Union
- Morris
- Essex
- Hudson
- Bergen
- Passaic
- Somerset
- Monmouth
- Hunterdon
- Mercer
- Burlington
- Warren
- Sussex
Franklin Food Bank
Phone: (732) 246-0009
Address: 60 Millstone Rd, Somerset, NJ 08873. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The Mission of the Franklin Food Bank is to enhance the quality of life for Franklin Township residents in need by providing food assistance in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. We act as the conduit between those who have food and/or funds to spare and share and those in who need to put food on their table. Simply stated, we are a group of community-minded and caring people, giving limited emergency help to some of our neighbors who are temporarily in need of something as basic as food!
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (732) 246-0009 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Somerset
Help Residents of Counties:
- Middlesex
- Union
- Morris
- Essex
- Bergen
- Hudson
- Passaic
- Somerset
- Monmouth
- Hunterdon
- Burlington
- Mercer
- Warren
- Ocean
- Sussex
Church Food Banks in Mercer County, New Jersey
Some churches in and around Mercer County, New Jersey run food banks or serve free meals.
Many welcome anyone who needs a meal. Some also offer services such as showers, laundry, mail, or I.D. assistance, so call ahead to confirm what is available.
Metro Park A.G. Church Food Bank
Phone: (732) 283-3440
Address: 48 Berkley Blvd, Iselin, NJ 08830. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Metro Park A.G. Church is a registered food bank in Woodbridge Township. It is our goal to help the people our communities in their time of need. Last Thursday of the Month, 7pm - 8:30pm. 3rd Thursday in November & December. Pick up only.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (732) 283-3440 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Iselin
Help Residents of Counties:
- Middlesex
- Passaic
- Union
- Morris
- Essex
- Bergen
- Hudson
- Somerset
- Monmouth
- Hunterdon
- Mercer
Food prices remain high. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 136.0 points in September 2026, up 5.8% from a year earlier.
A 36% price increase over the 2014-2016 base period shows that hunger is a public health issue of critical importance.
The most vulnerable demographic of society is taking the brunt of this economic pressure. Now more than ever, low-income families must rely on New Jersey Free Clinics, New Jersey Food Stamps, and food banks.
This guide will list helpful information about food banks in Mercer County, New Jersey and organizations that can help curb hunger, how you can use their services and where to find them.
What is a Food Bank?
Food banks are non-profit charitable organizations that assist financially vulnerable populations by distributing food. Their main objective is to help low-income individuals and families by providing food.
They will work through other 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens. Sometimes they distribute the food themselves via mobile pantry.
A food bank in Mercer County, New Jersey serves as a single collection and distribution point for food donations. They operate much like a for-profit food distributor, but they do not use retailers. Instead, they may use church food banks, charities, and other non-profit food pantries to provide food to the people to fight hunger.
How the Food Bank Works?
- 1. Food is donated to a food bank.
- 2. It is stored in a large climate-controlled warehouse.
- 3. A food bank in Mercer County, New Jersey distributes food to various non-profits for distribution.
- 4. Food reaches people who are in need.
Who can use Food Banks?
Many food banks and food pantries in Mercer County, New Jersey are locally run, with others managed at the state or federal level. Qualification to receive nutrition assistance from food programs depends on the type.
There are different qualifying requirements, and some food banks have none. Some let you come during their days and times of operation, and they will help if they are able.
Here are some tips before you go:
- It is highly advisable to call ahead before you arrive!
- Ask about any eligibility or documentation requirements they may have.
- If required, bring all required documents when you use their services.
Second Harvest Food Bank
Many communities across the United States are served by food banks that use the Second Harvest name.
These food banks help families facing hard choices between food, housing, medicine, and other necessities. We don't have a food bank with the Second Harvest name listed for Mercer County, New Jersey right now.
Feeding America
John van Hengel, the founder of St. Mary's Food Bank, went on to create a national organization for food banks. The Feeding America organization is a leader in the nation's domestic hunger-relief efforts.
High food costs continue to put pressure on America's most vulnerable citizens. Feeding America reports that its network provides 5.9 billion meals a year.
The Feeding America network has grown through donations and other charitable efforts to be able to deliver much-needed food via food rescue, hunger relief programs, and disaster response.
A listing on this page doesn't mean an organization is part of the Feeding America network. To find a member food bank, use Feeding America's finder.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that helps obtain badly needed food for low-income people and families. SNAP is also known as Food Stamp.
Nationally, SNAP served approximately 42 million Americans per month in fiscal year 2025. To ask about SNAP benefits in Mercer County, New Jersey, contact your state SNAP office. It is the most extensive nutrition program administered by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and is a vital component of the social safety net for low-income Americans.
In fiscal year 2025, about 12.3% of the U.S. population received SNAP benefits in an average month.
The program had used paper "stamps" or coupons in the past – worth $1 (brown), $5 (blue), and $10 (green). These were bound into small booklets of various denominations, to be torn out individually and used in single-use exchanges.
Free Food Programs Summary
| Acronym | Name | For Moms & Kids | For Seniors | For Food Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAP | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Yes | Yes | No |
| TEFAP | The Emergency Food Assistance Program | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CSFP | The Commodity Supplemental Food Program | No | Yes | Yes |
| CACFP | The Child and Adult Care Food Program | Yes | Yes | No |
| NSLP | The National School Lunch Program | Yes | No | No |
| SBP | The School Breakfast Program | Yes | No | No |
| SFSP | The Summer Food Service Program | Yes | No | No |
| WIC | Women, Infants, and Children | Yes | No | No |
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food bank?
Mercer County food banks often have items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. How do you qualify for Mercer County food bank assistance?
Requirements vary, and some food banks and pantries ask for no paperwork at all. Call ahead. Some may ask you to bring:
- A state-issued ID
- Social Security numbers of household members
- A bill or other mail that shows your address
- Proof of income, such as a bank statement