A total of 7 tons of nonperishable food is projected to come in as part of Monmouth County’s month long food collection drive that ends today according to Executive Director Carlos Rodriguez of the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Isaiah G. Cooper
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The Neptune facility will be receiving all of the donations and distributing the items to 260 food pantry partners as well as a number of mobile food pantries they operate in under served areas.

The Keyport Ministerium Food Pantry, one of their partners, says they’ve seen their client base grow exponentially. Executive Director Isaiah Cooper says “we for example started in 1983 and we were given 25 families a month. Now we cover over 200 families a month and we’re serving 21 towns.”

However, even when the shelves of the Foodbank grow thin, Cooper says the Foodbank’s value isn’t only in the food they donate but in the support they offer through out the year. “They also give training to people on how to run pantries, forms, paperwork and from time-to-time if you have a specific problem you can go them for additional help.”

 

Cooper says it doesn’t appear that the food needs in the shore area are slowing. “There are people who come to the food pantry this year, that last year were donors and they feel embarrassed that they have to come for help.”

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At last count, Monmouth County Officials reported that 5 tons of food has been donated through the ‘Food For Fines’ collection drive taking place at all the County’s Library Branches. Donations have also been coming in from all County government buildings where bins have been set up.

You can still bring items to those locations today.

Cooper says the Keyport Ministerium Food Pantry was formed from a coalition of nine churches. He says they have a user-freindly web site at keyportfoodpantry.org

 

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