A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Mercer, New Jersey distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.
There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.
Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.
Salvation Army Food Pantry
The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.
The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Mercer, New Jersey from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.
We have located 1 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
The Salvation Army - Trenton Citadel
Services provided :
- Aid to Families
- Bible Study - Correspondence
- Camping Activities
- Casework Services
- Character Building Programs
- Christian Education
- Community Recreation & Education Programs
- Disaster Services
- Food & Nutrition
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Men's Ministries
- Military Personnel Assistance
- Missing Persons
- Music & Arts Programs
- Residential Camping Activities
- Seasonal Services
- Visitation Services
- Women's Ministries
- Worship Services - Children's / Teen
- Worship Services - Church
- Worship Services - Sunday School
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 599-9373 to book your appointment.
Address :
575 E State St,
Trenton, NJ 08609.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Church Food Pantry
A number of churches around Mercer, New Jersey have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.
Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.
Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.
We have located 1 Church Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Sacred Heart Church - Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen
Food Bagging and Distribution takes place in Toomey Hall - Bagging from 1:15 to 2:30PM; Distribution from 1:15 to 5:15PM; The Lord’s Table - Once a month a hot meal is prepared and served to the needy of our area in Toomey Hall from 12:30 to 1:30PM
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 393-2801 to book your appointment.
Address :
343 S Broad St,
Trenton, NJ 08608.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.
Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.
Catholic Charities in Mercer, New Jersey are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.
The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.
First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.
We have located 1 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton - Community Food Pantry (Mercer County)
Pre-packed food bags provide 3 meals per day for 3 days of each household member.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 394-8847 to book your appointment.
Address :
132 N Warren St,
Trenton, NJ 08608.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Mercer, New Jersey almost entirely by volunteers.
It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.
Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.
We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Mobile Food Pantry
The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Mercer, New Jersey in need during large-scale one-day distributions.
A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.
Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.
Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024
Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.
Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.
We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Mercer, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Mercer, New Jersey much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.
It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.
We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Food Pantry Delivery Program
Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Mercer, New Jersey area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.
Food Pantry
We have located 12 Food Pantry locations in Mercer, New Jersey which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Rise: A Community Service Partnership - Food Pantry
As part of a county-wide Nutritional Alliance in partnership with St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, Panera Bread andWhole Foods Market, we maintain a year-round pantry of perishable and non-perishable food, as well as personal care items, baby supplies and pet food. Our Food Pantry patrons have also benefitted from the very generous donations from Church & Dwight Co., NJ Farmers Against Hunger, Trader Joe’s, First United Methodist Church of Hightstown, Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, Wawa in Monroe, the Molly Pitcher Service area, Down to Earth of Colts Neck, First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck, St. Paul Lutheran Church, The Windsor-Hightstown Area Ministerium (WHAM), ShopRite of East Windsor, Target#1345 of East Windsor, L’Oreal USA, Conair Corp., 1st Presbyterian Church of Hightstown and St. David’s Episcopal Church. Once eligibility is determined, families are entitled to visit the pantry on a weekly basis. The pantry is located at 225 Franklin Street in Hightstown, NJ. Hours are Mon. – Wed. 9am – 12pm. We have expanded our hours to include the first and third Wednesday of every month from 5:00pm-7:00pm.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 443-4464 to book your appointment.
Address :
225 Franklin St,
Hightstown, NJ 08520.
Get Directions
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- Hightstown
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Arm in Arm - Food Pantry
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday, 1:30PM-3:30PM; Tuesday, 4PM-6PM. Can we help you fill a financial gap by providing food? You are welcome to visit any two of our three food pantries each month. Each visit provides enough food to feed each member of your household for three days. Please have the following documentation with you: Proof of residence in Mercer County, including any recent piece of mail; Photo ID for head of household; Proof of family members in your residence; For anyone in your household under the age of 18, please provide one of the following every six months: birth certificate, immunization record, WIC folder, passport, court-ordered custody paper.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 396-9355 to book your appointment.
Address :
61 Nassau St,
Princeton, NJ 08542.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Princeton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Cornerstone Community Kitchen
The Cornerstone Community Kitchen (CCK) offers a free and nutritious meal every week, even on holidays. Volunteers from the community serve the meal from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. In partnership with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), this ministry of PUMC now serves more than 100 people each week. Some come for the food, some for the fellowship and friendly atmosphere. All are welcome, no questions asked.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call to book your appointment.
Address :
7 Vandeventer Ave,
Princeton, NJ 08542.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Princeton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
A Better Way
Our mission is to help those re-entering society, at-risk youth and their families to find A Better Way to live. Food Pantry hours: Monday & Friday 12 -1:30 PM
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 392-1224 to book your appointment.
Address :
416 Bellevue Ave Ste 202,
Trenton, NJ 08618.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Arm in Arm - Food Pantry
Monday through Thursday, 9:30AM-12PM. Can we help you fill a financial gap by providing food? You are welcome to visit any two of our three food pantries each month. Each visit provides enough food to feed each member of your household for three days. Please have the following documentation with you: Proof of residence in Mercer County, including any recent piece of mail; Photo ID for head of household; Proof of family members in your residence; For anyone in your household under the age of 18, please provide one of the following every six months: birth certificate, immunization record, WIC folder, passport, court-ordered custody paper.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 396-9355 to book your appointment.
Address :
123 E Hanover St,
Trenton, NJ 08608.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Arm in Arm - Food Pantry
Monday through Thursday, 9:30AM-12PM. Can we help you fill a financial gap by providing food? You are welcome to visit any two of our three food pantries each month. Each visit provides enough food to feed each member of your household for three days. Please have the following documentation with you: Proof of residence in Mercer County, including any recent piece of mail; Photo ID for head of household; Proof of family members in your residence; For anyone in your household under the age of 18, please provide one of the following every six months: birth certificate, immunization record, WIC folder, passport, court-ordered custody paper.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 396-9355 to book your appointment.
Address :
714 S Clinton Ave,
Trenton, NJ 08611.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Mount Carmel Guild Emergency Assistance
The Emergency Assistance program provides emergency food to almost 8,000 families per year, feeding over 17,000 household members. Not only are some of our clients homeless, but our low-income clients also include a significant number of disabled and/or aged persons living on fixed incomes. Clients are referred to this program by numerous Mercer County agencies. Our staff assesses the needs of the entire family. Five days a week we distribute bags of food, according to family size. The Emergency Assistance program’s primary purpose is to provide direct and immediate support and relief to individuals and families in both chronic and temporary crisis. This program assists clients in crisis by providing them with an array of social services that includes the following: Three to five day supply of nutritious food items, both perishable and non-perishable; As funds are available, utility assistance to prevent shut off or to restore services; Limited financial assistance to those who have no prescription coverage; Basic staples for newborns and infants, such as diapers, formula, baby food; Personal hygiene and grooming items, basic household items, and clothing, as available; Referrals to additional services within the community.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 392-3402 to book your appointment.
Address :
73 N Clinton Ave,
Trenton, NJ 08609.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
New Hope Food Pantry
New hope Food Pantry Hours - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1st & 3rd Saturday Monthly
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 393-3293 to book your appointment.
Address :
400 Hamilton Ave,
Trenton, NJ 08609.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Princeton Deliverance Center - Food Pantry
Wednesday Food Distribution 12:30pm (not the 1st Wednesday of the Month); Friday Food Distribution 9:00am
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 392-9161 to book your appointment.
Address :
301 Southard St,
Trenton, NJ 08609.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Rescue Mission of Trenton
The Mission operates a daily Day Center providing respite from the elements, outreach services, and lunch daily. Under the Emergency Services Program, the Rescue Mission also operates a weekend soup kitchen every Sunday and the fifth Saturday of the month.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 695-6479 to book your appointment.
Address :
89 Ewing St,
Trenton, NJ 08605.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK)
A mid-day meal is served Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. Late trays are available at the side door from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. An evening meal is served Monday through Thursday, 3:30 to 4:50 p.m. Children receive breakfast bags in addition to a hot meal. Late trays are available at the side door from 5 to 5:30 p.m.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 695-5456 to book your appointment.
Address :
72 Escher St,
Trenton, NJ 08609.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Trinity Cathedral Food Pantry
The food pantry is another way the cathedral addresses the problem of hunger in our community, serving both the needs of our parishioners, as well as those of our brothers and sisters in surrounding neighborhoods. Through generous monetary contributions and donations of perishable and nonperishable food items from: cathedral members, partner congregations, local grocery stores, and the federal Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP); and with hands-on assistance from local university students, two Saturdays each month the cathedral distributes healthy and nutritious food to residents of the greater Trenton area, totally more than 4000 bags, annually. In the spirit of Christian fellowship, food pantry guests are also invited to assist in preparing food for distribution, and to join us for our annual Thanksgiving brunch for our parish and community.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (609) 392-3805 to book your appointment.
Address :
801 W State St,
Trenton, NJ 08618.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Trenton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Mercer
Drive-thru Food Pantries
Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.
Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?
Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.
Only two piece of information is asked
- You Zipcode, and
- Number of people in their family.
You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.
How do drive-thru pantries actually work?
There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:
Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.
Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.
Checkin.
You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.
Food is loaded into the cars.
Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.
Pet Food Pantry
One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.
The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Mercer, New Jersey
Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry
Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:
- All ages, races and marital status
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Retired, living on social security or other limited income
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry
Show up early.
This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.
You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.
Remember all documentation.
Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.
This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.
It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.
Use several food banks.
Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.
For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.
Eligible for other programs?
Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.
They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Ask about extras.
If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.
Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.
Go on different days of the week.
Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.
Be polite to workers.
Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.
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 pantry?
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. Who can go to food pantry?
At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.
4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?
A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.
5. How does a food pantry work?
Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.