Food Pantry in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Saint Agnes has been happy to participate for many years in providing food to the needy in Atlantic Highlands and surrounding communities through the dedication of the AACC Food Pantry.

The food pantry of Atonement Lutheran Church is classified as an emergency food assistance program which supplements the diets of low income and elderly individuals and families. In existence for over 25 years, the pantry is dependent upon donations from members and friends of Atonement Lutheran Church. Food Pantry Hours: Second and Fourth Wednesdays 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM; Those that we serve are referred to Atonement Lutheran food pantry by many different social service agencies, and are allowed to receive food from the pantry once a month. No referral is required; however, the people must register with the staff.

St. Brigid’s Pantry is staffed by our dedicated volunteers. The pantry is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m -3:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Clients are provided an assortment of perishable and non-perishable items and may visit our pantry once a month. Referrals from social service agencies and pre-registration are not required. Clients may register during our normal operating hours and are asked to provide the following: Photo Identification; Proof of residence (must be a resident of Monmouth or Ocean Counties); Birth certificate(s) for those listing children under age 18; Evidence of participation in TANF, SNAP, SSI, WIC, Medicaid or statement of limited income.

Hours: 2nd and Last Saturdays 12-2:30 The Christian Caring & Helping Hand ministry provides programs and events to help the community meet basic needs. Its work strengthens our relationship with the community through fellowship, food, meals, clothing, and gifts.

At the Good Samaritan Food Pantry we provide our clients with quality food, personal products, and fellowship. We are seeing many new faces as the word spreads that there is place that can help families through a rough time. We hope to continue to grow by getting the word out to our area that we are here and that we can help. Our vision is to meet our area's nutrition needs, for those who have a need. At this time we are accepting monetary and non perishable food donations. We are open on Wednesday nights from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Food pick-ups are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays and Saturdays of the month. Remember you may only visit our Food Pantry ONCE a month. You may visit other Food Pantries. You must bring your own bags to receive the food. Please try to be on line at least 15 minutes before closing time.

The Food Pantry feeds approximately 2,000 people per month. Food is received through generous donations of food from parishioners, local businesses and civic organizations, and matching funds through grants from foundations and benefactors. Food is also purchased from the Food Bank and local food markets. Fresh milk is purchased every week. Frozen meat, fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables are also available.

Meal at Noon is a free lunch program (soup kitchen). We operate out of space provided by the Second Baptist Church, 93 Liberty Street in Long Branch. Meal at Noon was founded by Louis and Barbara Armour of Long Branch in 1997. We have been serving hot meals on Saturdays (Noon to 1pm) and bag lunches on Wednesdays (11am to Noon) ever since. We serve approximately 7,000 free meals a year. We are an all volunteer program. No one is paid. Much of our food comes from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The rest we buy. We also buy our paper goods, utensils and cleaning supplies. We rely on donations to operate. We are an IRS approved 501(c) (3) charitable organization.

The Middletown Food Pantry, which is managed by the Social Services Department and Middletown Helps Its Own, provides emergency food and household supplies to Middletown residents in need.

Freehold Area Open Door, Inc. (Open Door) is a non-profit 501(c3) interfaith agency that provides emergency food, emergency funding, mentoring and scholarships to those in need from the Freehold area. It is administered by a 16 member volunteer Board of Trustees, 2 part-time salaried employees and over 150 volunteers. Open Door provides the following 4 programs: a Food Pantry Program, an Emergency Funding/Advocacy Program, an After School Program and a Scholarship Program. Food Pantry Program: Distributes emergency packaged foods equivalent to a 3 day supply to qualified individuals once a month. This equated to 98 tons of food distributed annually that was equivalent to over 127,000 prepared meals. The Food Pantry hours are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday through Friday every week. The pantry is located at 39 Throckmorton Street.

The purpose of “The Barn for the Poorest of the Poor” is to collect and deliver a surplus of food from supermarkets/bakeries, etc. to soup kitchens in Harlem, the Bronx, Manhattan, Newark, Plainfield, the Contemplative Sisters in the Bronx and to unwed mothers in Brooklyn run by Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s order). Food is also distributed to local areas of need such as Lunch Break and the Salvation Army in Red Bank, the Missionaries of Charity at Asbury Park, Project Paul and St. Mark’s Soup Kitchen in Keansburg, the 2nd Baptist Church in Long Branch, and Broken Loaves in Matawan. Food is also given to the Franciscans of the Renewal in the South Bronx and Newark to feed the poor. “The Barn For The Poorest Of The Poor”, incorporated in 1992 and qualifying as a tax-exempt organization under section 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) of the Internal Revenue Code in 1993, started in 1981 when Barney Welch began by taking scraps of food from dumpsters and delivering these to Mother Teresa’s nuns in the South Bronx. Barney was disabled by a very serious auto accident in January,1992 and “The Barn” was incorporated to continue his work. Today, there are over 150 unpaid volunteers (no one is paid) who move more than 8 tons of food per week to feed the poor.

In response to the poverty afflicting the Asbury Park area, Trinity runs a weekly soup kitchen (Saturday Soup). Initiated in 1990, the soup kitchen now welcomes up to 220 guests each Saturday for a sit-down, hot lunch from noon-1 PM. Our volunteers are members of the parish, community groups, businesses volunteer organizations and members of other religious organizations. Together they seek to help all our guests feel welcome. The volunteers arrive at 9:30 AM to set up tables, prepare and serve meals, socialize with our guests, and clean up afterwards. Although one can volunteer almost any Saturday, we have set aside four Saturdays a year specifically for members of our parish family to serve together. See the date of our next volunteer day in the left column. New hands and donations are always welcome!

Each Sunday our food pantry distributes food to those in need in our community.

St. Mark's Center for Community Renewal offers outreach to our neighbors and community in Keansburg and the surrounding Bayshore area. An outreach ministry of Saint Mark's Church, the Community Center serves almost 5,000 meals monthly and 1200 individuals are served by our Food Pantry. Here's are some of our services: * A hot breakfast is served Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. On Sundays, the Center opens at 11:00 a.m. and a continental breakfast is served. * A lunch is served daily from noon to 1:00 p.m. Take-outs (if available) are served after 1:00. People who have not already eaten will receive priority for take-outs. * USDA allocations for food from the Monmouth Ocean Food Bank are offered at least once monthly. (Currently, the 2nd Thursday of each month). USDA allocations for food from the Monmouth Ocean Food Bank are offered at least once monthly. (Currently, the 2nd Thursday of each month). A nurse from VNA is on site weekly to answer health questions and provide screenings.

Lunch Break freely provides life’s basic necessities- food, clothing, and fellowship-for our community members in need. Our mission is to alleviate hunger and lead those we serve to self-sufficiency and healthier lifestyles. We serve everyone, with compassion and dignity. Meals Served: Monday – Friday: Hot lunches served, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; Saturday: Hot breakfast served, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Bag lunches distributed, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Bagged lunches are donated by St. Leo’s the Great in Lincroft); Monday – Saturday: Homebound meals delivered (Pre-registration required, Red Bank Area only); Holidays: Thanksgiving: Dinner served, Christmas: Brunch served. Client Choice Food Pantry: All new or current clients that participate in our Clients Choice (Pantry) Program will be assigned designated days for food pick ups. Clients will be given a choice of 2 assigned days out of the month to pick up their monthly food package according to the first letter of your last name. If by any chance you miss your assigned day you will be given the opportunity to pick up on a Wednesday between the hours of 3:00- 5:45 p.m. by appointment only. To schedule appointment you must contact Anita Santiago @ 732.747.8577, ext. 3013. Monday: A-D/ W-Z: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. (Last sign-up at 2:45 p.m.); Tuesday: E-I/ O-R: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. (Last sign-up at 2: 45 p.m.); Wednesday: J- N/ S- V: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. (Last sign-up at 5:45 p.m.); Thursday: O-R/ E- I: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Last sign-up at 2:45 p.m.); Friday: S-V/ J-N: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Last sign-up at 2:45 p.m.); Saturday: W-Z/ A-D: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Last sign-up at 11:45 a.m.). There is no food distribution on Sundays.

Founded in 1982, the Bradley Food Pantry provides bags of food to those in need five days a week, Monday-Friday, from 10 am to noon, and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 7pm. Clients are welcome to receive food once a month. Our primary service area are the mid-Monmouth shore towns of Asbury Park, Avon-By-The-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Lake Como, Neptune, Neptune City, Ocean Grove, Ocean Township, Tinton Falls, and Wall Township. We serve over 600 families every month - more than 1600 people - who are hungry when they arrive and receive two or three bags of groceries - enough for three days for the entire family. We hope you'll want to join our effort to help those who are in need.

The Bayshore Lunch Program serves meals five days a week to all in need of food and fellowship. Working in partnership with the Community Church of Keyport, we are currently feeding 60-65 people a day from the community. Occasionally, we also feed volunteers still working on Bayshore area homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy. We are located in the beautiful fellowship hall of the Community Church of Keyport, located on Warren Street between Division and Osborn Streets. Serving times are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11:30 a.m., and Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Every Friday, a nurse from the VNA visits the Lunch Program at 11:30 a.m. to check blood pressure, give out information on health screenings, and answer health-related questions from our guests. A specialist from the FoodBank of Monmouth/Ocean County is on the premises every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help people apply for SNAP (food stamps) and other social services, and a mental health specialist is available every Friday by appointment.

The Keyport Ministerium Food Pantry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer community service organization providing food assistance and additional services for low-income families and Senior Citizens requiring ongoing or temporary assistance in the Northern Bayshore area of Monmouth County. The Pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30AM.

Our food pantry is open to all the community on an as needs basis. Members of the church support the food pantry by making weekly food offerings during the worship service. Meal at Noon- A hot lunch program that feeds up to 100 people every Saturday

The Center in Asbury Park, Inc., is a volunteer based New Jersey not-for-profit service organization, providing support services for people living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers. The Center in Asbury Park offers its clients and volunteers a safe haven in order to instill a sense of community and stability in their lives. Nutrition Programs: Emergency Food and Nutrition pantry; Meals to Go, frozen home-cooked meals; a daily lunch program; Monthly Sunday dinners. So many of the clients of The Center in Asbury Park struggle to make ends meet - to put some food on the table - to have some basic things that we can so easily take for granted. Each client is entitled to a monthly emergency "food bag" with some of the basics and a "hygiene bag" with items like deodorant, soap, toilet paper - things they are not able to get with food stamps.

Food Pantry - every 2nd Tuesday of the month we provide food to the community sponsored by the local food bank and governmental agencies

JF&CS' Food Pantry distributes food every Friday at 12 and 1 p.m. We are proud to provide 6 - 8 meals each month for 140 families. Jewish Family & Children's Service established a food pantry in our Asbury Park Office in 2007 and joined the Monmouth Ocean County Food in 2009. We stock our pantry through donations received from individuals, schools, synagogues, youth groups. As a member of the Ocean/Monmouth Food Bank we are eligible to receive donated federal, state & NJ Department of Agriculture food such as eggs, cheese, fish, meat, produce and canned goods.

Food Pantry hours: Thursdays 5:30 - 7:30 PM; Dinner Host: 5:00 – 7:00 pm

The First Presbyterian Church of Matawan and the Cross of Glory Lutheran Church in Aberdeen have sponsored a community food pantry for over 15 years. Our goal is to share God’s love and blessings with our neighbors in need. We are endorsed by the Mission Commission of FPC Matawan, supported by the personnel in the church office and “staffed” by passionate volunteers from both churches. We currently serve about 65 households consisting of senior citizens, single adults, families, and couples expecting children. Clients are referred to our pantry through social service agencies, area churches, the local WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program, the Monmouth and Ocean County Food Bank and word of mouth. Applicants are asked to fill out an informational form including name, address and the number and ages of adults and children in the household. No financial information is requested since there is no “approval” process; all are welcome. We encourage clients to come to our monthly distribution for pick-up, but our volunteers also deliver regularly to the homebound and as needed in crisis situations. Food donations are from a variety of sources: FPC Matawan and COG congregations and Sunday School classes, Presbyterian Nursery School families, scouting and school drives, annual post office collection, local CROP walk participation and Temple Shalom of Aberdeen high holy days donations. The occasional monetary contributions from individuals are used to purchase staples for the pantry during supermarket sales or as they become available at reduced cost through the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties in Neptune. Volunteer opportunities include sorting and bagging groceries, arranging a food drive to benefit the pantry or helping out during a distribution. Youth groups are welcome to assist, especially during the busy holiday season. For more information contact the First Presbyterian Church of Matawan at 732-566-2663.

The OLPH Food Pantry serves the bayshore area. Hours are Sundays from 11am-12:45pm and Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30pm.

Currently, Project PAUL operates the largest food pantry in Monmouth County with distribution to approximately 1,600 individuals a week. Hours: Mon.: 9:45-11:45 am, Wed.: 9:45-11:45am, 12:45pm - 2:45pm, Fri.: 9:45-11:45am, 12:45pm - 2:45pm

Community Dinner – Soup d’Shore: Free dinner every Tuesday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm; Food Pantry and Clothing Bank: Open every Friday from 3:00pm to 5:00pm; St. Luke’s Thrift Store: Open Saturdays from 11:00am to 2:00pm

Serving Christ In Howell & Farmingdale. Operating Hours: Mondays 10:00AM - 12:00PM, Wednesdays 1:00PM - 3:00PM

The Calico Cat Cupboard and Pantry offers food, clothing and household items, free of charge, to individuals and families referred by agencies and shelter programs. Schedule: Wednesday 9:30AM - 2:30PM

First Pentecostal Church is a not-for-profit ministry that is dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ while providing resources for families and individuals who are in need. Hours: Monday, 5:00-7:00 pm; Wednesday & Saturday, 12:00-2:00 pm

Every Monday from 10am-11:30am

Begun over 20 years ago, the Reformation Community Food Pantry now provides food to over 300 families each month. Every family is treated with respect and as a member of our family. Clients are able to shop in our pantry for their own food with help from our volunteers. Each family is permitted to shop once per month and must undergo an interview once per year with our staff. Our goal is to give each family we serve a hand-up by providing them not only with food each month but a sympathetic ear and referrals to other social agencies as needed. Donations of all types of food are gratefully accepted as are cash donations. Volunteers are also always needed and welcomed! The food pantry is open Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30p.m. and Saturday mornings from 8:30-10a.m.

Our current enrollment is approximately 400 food-insecure individuals and families. Although some do not participate every month, our volunteers can always be found preparing food packages for many families in a single day. The churches, of the Manasquan Ministerium, are located in Manasquan, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Brielle, and Sea Girt; however the pantry receives clients from many other Jersey Shore towns. The Manasquan Food Pantry exists to provide Jersey Shore families and individuals in need of support. We demonstrate a commitment by promoting goodwill and friendship within our community, and creating a support system for those in need by offering a supply of basic foods on a monthly basis for each client and/or family participating in the program. Assistance is always provided as needed, be it temporary or ongoing. Food Pantry Hours: Monday: 10AM – 1PM; Tuesday: 10AM – 1PM; Wednesday: Closed; Thursday: 1PM – 4PM; Friday: 1PM – 4PM; Every 3rd Thursday of the month: 1PM – 6PM

The Allentown Community Food Pantry desires to be the hands and feet of the church of Jesus Christ. Our primary mission is to follow the example of Jesus by serving local neighbors in need. One of the largest food pantries in the county, it is located in the lower level of the APC Cornell House. Hours: Mon - Wed - Fri, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The pantry accepts food from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties as well as individual donations. Members are encouraged to make food and/or cash donations. Cash donations allow the food pantry to take advantage of large discounts offered by the FoodBank to buy bulk food for an average of 18 cents a pound. The pantry is open to any individual or family who is experiencing financial hardship and finding it difficult to buy groceries. The pantry is run by an all volunteer staff.