In response to the national food insecurity crisis, the Somerset County Board of Commissioners will support new food drive initiatives to benefit local food banks and in-need residents.
In association with the nonprofit Curbing Hunger Inc., the county is kicking off the Curbing Hunger All Year food donation drive in this month, when food supplies are especially low. The new food drive will allow residents to donate all year at more than 20 convenient drop-off locations throughout Somerset County or give a monetary donation online.
“High prices and housing costs have had an impact on many of our residents, and access to healthy, nutritional food is difficult for more families than ever before,” Commissioner Director Shanel Robinson said. “My colleagues and I are determined to help eliminate this problem by expanding Somerset County’s food drive initiatives, such as Curbing Hunger All Year.”
Hillsborough Township has two drop off locations:
- Hillsborough Library – 379 South Branch Road
- Mountain View Park, 141 Mountain View Road
Somerset County has released a short video that explains how the new Curbing Hunger all Year food drive works.
In the U.S., every county is experiencing food insecurity. New Jersey has almost 1 million food-insecure residents, which means they do not have enough access to food for an active, healthy life due to limited financial resources, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture. In Somerset County, there are more than 24,500 food-insecure individuals, according to Feeding America.
Somerset County and Curbing Hunger Inc. have been working together for nearly three decades to collect food donations in the month of June only via the county recycling program. This year, the program is being transitioned to a year-round drop-off program to increase the flow of donations while increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the program.
“I’m grateful that the Board of Commissioners is helping to support the new Curbing Hunger All Year food drive,” said Chuck Knill, board president of Curbing Hunger Inc. “The new food drive is more cost-effective for the Somerset County Recycling Division, more efficient for the donors and recipients, and necessary in response to the high cost of living.”
