EDISON – The South Edison Community Association (SECA) will host another food drive for the Hands of Hope food pantry from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 26, with support from nearly 30 community groups, businesses, schools, churches and unions.
Non-perishable food donations will be accepted outside Edison High School, on Boulevard of the Eagles off Old Post Road.
SECA held its first successful food drive in May, collecting 20 truckloads of non-perishable food and cash donations for the food pantry at Edison’s St. James Episcopal Church. SECA also sent several truckloads of food to MCFOODS (Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services) that aids 130 other countywide food pantries, churches and non-profits, according to information provided by SECA.
“With the holiday season approaching, and continuing concern about coronavirus, Hands of Hope must restock its shelves with food for a growing number of needy families and senior citizens,” SECA organizer Anthony Russomanno said in the statement. “None of our neighbors should ever go hungry during the holidays.”
The food pantry needs canned vegetables, fruits and soups; canned tuna and hams; boxes of pasta, rice and macaroni & cheese; boxes of potato flakes and baking mixes; breakfast cereals and oatmeal; bottled vegetable juice and fruit juices; bottled tomato sauce and other bottled or canned gravy.
Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Tomaro, a longtime Hands of Hope volunteer, said the food pantry annually provides bags groceries to more than 4,000 Edison-area households, including senior, veterans and people with disabilities, according to the statement. It also serves hot lunches to 4,500 needy people and it distributes nearly 400 turkeys and bags of food at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Partnering with SECA for the Sept. 26 food drive are: AFSME Local 12, Amazon, BAPS Temple, Boy Scout Troop 12, Burger King, Congregation Ohr Torah, Dunkin Donuts, 18th District Assembly members Robert Karabinchak and Nancy Pinkin, the Edison Democratic Organization, Edison Firefighters Local 1197, Edison FOP Lodge 101 and PBA Local 75, Edison Greenways; the Italian American Club, Edison Jets Football, Edison Public Schools & Superintendent Bernard Bragen, Edison Republican Organization, Edison Township Education Association (ETEA), Federal Business Center, Indian Business Association (IBA), Knights Of Columbus Council 3272 & 4885, Masjid Al Wali Mosque, Mayor Thomas Lankey and the Town Council, Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 32, Re-Purpose NJ, Sen Patrick Diegnan, the South Asian Community Organization, Teamsters Local 469, the Edison Wetlands Association, UAW Local 2620 and Wick Plaza Associates.
For more information about Hands of Hope, visit handsofhopenj.org
In lieu of food donations, make contributions by check or money order to Hands of Hope, NJ; P.O. Box 1057, Edison 08818.
For more information about SECA, visit www.SouthEdisonCommunityAssociation.com
To volunteer, call 732-261-7172 or email [email protected]