Mountains of food available
By: Lacey Korevec
Tables line the perimeter of Fellowship Hall in The First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury and they are stacked to the ceiling with food.
"There’s like a mountain of macaroni and cheese in one area right next to a couple hundred cans of soup," Food Drive Chairman Chris Welch said Wednesday night. "It’s just a mountain."
Mr. Welch said the annual communitywide, holiday drive has brought in enough food to fill at least 120 boxes this year, more than twice as much as he had expected. The food will be given to area families in need this weekend.
Much of the food was collected Saturday, when Cranbury Boy Scouts drove throughout the township collecting donations from the doorsteps of residents. Mr. Welch said the Scouts estimated that the drive brought in at least 10 percent more than last year’s.
"I think it just grows every year," Mr. Welch said. "People enjoy being a part of it and it’s an established tradition. The Boy Scouts were very helpful in getting things set up."
Today (Friday), community members will be busy making up boxes with the donated items, which Mr. Welch said will be filled to the brim.
"We’ve got the canned vegetables in one area and the tuna in another area and the pasta in another," he said. "There’s food all over and it’s pretty amazing."
Left over food will still be put to good use, he said.
"We certainly have enough to do our initial distribution for Thanksgiving," he said. "What doesn’t get distributed at Thanksgiving we save and give out to the same people around the Christmas holiday."
Though the drive is over, Mr. Welch said community members can continue to donate food through the church’s year-round food pantry.
"We’re grateful to everyone for pitching in and helping out with this worthwhile cause," Mr. Welch said.

