14 Jan CFA and Community Fight Hunger with MLK with Day of Service
CFA and Community Fight Hunger with MLK with Day of Service
Volunteers to distribute food to area children and families in service five events
January 14, 2022, Englewood NJ– Center for Food Action and area schools team up to distribute free food to area families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in five special emergency MLK Pop-Up Events in Hackensack, Cliffside Park and Englewood over Martin Luther King Weekend, as part of the organization’s MLK Day of Service and Remembrance events.
While these food distributions are primarily designed as Pop-Up drive-thru events, each family must have an appointment. In addition to these distributions, area residents in need may also get food assistance through appointment-based drive-through food distributions M-F at one of five area CFA pantries (Englewood, Hackensack, Mahwah, Saddle Brook, Ringwood and Bergen Community College.) Anyone living in CFA’s service area in Bergen County, or northern Passaic County can request an appointment.
“If a child is experiencing hunger, chances are hunger exists in the family too. This year we are expanding the Family Companion Box Program started in 2021. To honor Dr. King, five distribution sites will distribute boxes of non-perishables and grocery store gift cards to 500 families,” said Patricia Espy, CFA’s Executive Director. “While these events will be different than our annual snack packing events, they help ensure that no child in our community goes hungry.”
“As an educator I have witnessed children without adequate nutrition suffer in the classroom which makes learning difficult,” said Theodora Smiley Lacey, event chair, “Being left without adequate nutrition is not an option!”
The event is funded through the support of local organizations and businesses including: NJEA of Fort Lee, Trinity Lutheran Church, Community Baptist Church of Englewood, National Council of Jewish Women, Rotary Club of Englewood, Rotary Club of the Palisades, Jen Maxfield Ostfeld and Scott Ostfeld, TD Bank and Visions Federal Credit Union.
Center for Food Action partners with AmeriCorps for the annual MLK Day of Service. CFA has joined the ranks of thousands of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide striving for equality embodied in Dr. King’s dream.