NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

M.C.F.O.O.D.S. Offers Helping Hand to Flooded Food Pantry

April 19, 2007 -- Middlesex County Food Organization Outreach Distribution Services (M.C.F.O.O.D.S.), Middlesex County's Emergency Food Network, has offered to donate cereal and other goods to a community food pantry left flooded by Sunday's drenching rains.

"We are going to help stock their pantry as soon as the basement is sanitized," said Jennifer Apostol, project manager of the Middlesex County Improvement Authority and M.C.F.O.O.D.S. coordinator.

M.C.F.O.O.D.S. has a long history of helping out its neighbors, even neighbors from out of its home county. In 1999, M.C.F.O.O.D.S. donated half a ton of supplies to the Franklin Township Food Bank after severe flooding ruined its food stock.

M.C.F.O.O.D.S. recently wrapped up its annual School Food Drive. The 164 public and private schools – the highest participation level in the drive’s 11-year history – collected 50 tons of food to be distributed to 60 food pantries and soup kitchens.

The event is a joint effort by three county departments: Roads, Public Property, Parks, and the MCIA Division of Recycling. Once containers and grocery bags are delivered to the participating schools, students and faculty have two weeks to bring in supplies. Several schools collected money that was then turned into Shoprite gift cards.

The top three schools were: Middlesex County Academy for Science, Math & Engineering Technology, which collected 5,782 pounds of food; Campbell School in Metuchen, which collected 5,650 pounds; and East Brunswick High School, which collected 3,650 pounds.

Apostol said she is pleased with the strong showing of support, especially given the shortage of food M.C.F.O.O.D.S. was experiencing prior to the drive.

"The students really came together to help the community," she said. "Everyone should feel very proud."

Freeholder Blanquita Valenti asked that everyone continue to support M.C.F.O.O.D.S. throughout the year.

"We have a good amount of food now but it will be gone in no time," she said. "We ask that residents continue to drop off food at one of our permanent collection sites."

Residents may drop off food at public libraries in Edison, Dunellen, Milltown, Monroe, North Brunswick, Plainsboro, South Brunswick, Spotswood, Woodbridge, Metuchen, South Plainfield and Perth Amboy.

Food pantries and soup kitchens are currently in need of peanut butter, tuna fish, cereal, macaroni and cheese, rice, soup and other non-perishable goods.

M.C.F.O.O.D.S. is looking for volunteers to help out during the National Association of Letter Carrier’s Annual May Food Drive on May 12.

Volunteers are needed throughout the day to assist letter carriers with loading and boxing food collected on their routes, as well as sorting food collected during the school food drive.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Jennifer Apostol, M.C.F.O.O.D.S. Coordinator, at 732-729-0880 or 609-409-5033 or by e-mail at ja@mciauth.com.

 ###