Mary Brienza

By: centraljersey.com
Students at the high school collected 12,250 pounds of food for the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services (M.C.F.O.O.D.S.) over the weekend, according to South Brunswick High School Principal Timothy Matheney.
The donated food items filled 240 plastic bins, and was about the same amount as last year, Mr. Matheney said Monday.
On Saturday at the Stop & Shop in the South Brunswick Square Mall on Route 1, juniors Julie Curcio, 17, and Nouran Shehata, 16, both from Kendall Park, stood outside the store collecting donations and handing out fliers about the annual food drive.
"I think we could beat last year’s goal," Ms. Shehata said Saturday. "Every can counts."
Ms. Curcio said that they were trained by one of her teachers, who pretended to be different customers ranging from difficult to easy, and once ready, went over to the other entrance to begin collecting donations.
Ms. Curcio said they mostly stopped people, and that this experience will help her in the long run since she wants to go into communications.
First time food drive volunteer Ms. Shehata, who wants to go into business, said that some people would not even talk to them, but the day was decent overall. Ms. Shehata said that it was her first time volunteering, and that she did not realize how awarding the experience would be.
Ms. Curcio said it gave her a good feeling when people donated, and that there were very generous people in the community. Ms. Shehata said she and Ms. Curcio started collecting at about 1:15 p.m. Ms. Curcio said she had lacrosse practice earlier that day.
Jennifer Webb, who runs the in-school suspension program at the high school, also volunteered her time Saturday at the drive even though she is not involved with the club, but that she helps out when she can.
"There was a need and I was available," Ms. Webb said.
The food drive was run with student and faculty volunteers who stood outside Stop & Shop supermarkets on Route 1, Route 522, and Route 27 as well as the Shop Rite on Route 130 in North Brunswick, Student Ambassadors Club advisor Stefanie Marchetti said in an earlier interview about planning the event.
The Student Ambassadors provide service to their community and school, Ms. Marchetti said.
In the afternoon the volunteers counted about $70 in cash donations that went towards buying more food.
At about 4:30 p.m., the girls used the money collected to buy additional food to be donated, comparing prices and trying to get the most food out of the money donated. The girls also tried to pick food that had not been donated earlier. They had fun shopping and picking out the food.
There were several boxes of food also dropped off Monday at the South Brunswick Food pantry as well, Mr. Matheney said.
Ms. Curcio said that her school is very dedicated, and there are a lot of community service hours available.
"I’ve never had so many community service opportunities," Ms. Curcio said.
M.C.F.O.O.D.S. was founded by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1994 and provides nonperishable food and necessary items to the less fortunate in Middlesex County, according to the organization’s website.
M.C.F.O.O.D.S. is currently very low on food because there are less donations after the holidays, and the organizations have a hard time keeping the pantries stocked, Jennifer Apostol, M.C.F.O.O.D.S. Coordinator, said.
It also provides other services and programs such as shelters and outreach programs to those that need the services, such as homeless, disabled, low income, and senior residents, according to its website.
The organization collects for and distributes to its network of more than 80 soup kitchens, social service agencies, and pantries in Middlesex County weekly, according to Ms. Apostol.
The donations collected will be distributed only in Middlesex County, Ms. Marchetti said.