Homegrown watermelons aren’t promised, but the grounds of Red Bank Middle School will once again the setting for Foodstock, the annual community party and food drive presented on Saturday by Lunch Break. (Archive photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
It’s a 100,000-Pound Challenge, and no,it’s not a townwide weight-loss promotion, but an endeavor give our community’s neediest neighbors access to some healthy calories.
Organized by the borough-based nonprofit Lunch Break, the 2015 edition of Foodstock brings the community food drive back to Red Bank Middle School Saturday for a morning and afternoon of refreshments, live entertainment and children’s activities.
Scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the family-friendly event comes equipped this year with the stated collection goal of 100,000 pounds, an ambitious benchmark aimed at helping replenish the in-demand resources of Lunch Break— an organization that acts as the first line of defense for thousands of vulnerable Red Bank-area residents, and serves more and more people each year.
According to Lunch Break executive director Gwen Love, summertime is an especially trying time for Lunch Break and other food pantries, with schools closed and many people away on vacation during an interval when “hunger doesn’t take the summer off.”
Having served nearly 63,000 hot meals and provided groceries for some 1,000 families from its pantry in 2014, Lunch Break has expanded its outreach and services to the community through everything from clothing drives and holiday gift programs to internet access for job seekers, cooking classes for kids, and “a place for guests and clients to gather for fellowship, hope, laughter, compassion, and more.”
Click the graphic above to enlarge for details on the 2015 Food and Fund Drive, including a list of the most needed items and the 100,000 Pound Challenge matching donations campaign. Then visit the Lunch Break website or e-mail [email protected] for more info on Foodstock 2015.
Foodstock donations may be delivered any day from now through June 30, directly to Lunch Break’s donation area at the rear of 121 Drs. James Parker Boulevard in Red Bank. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. If you have more than 300 pounds of food, or too much for you to physically handle, call (732) 747-8577, extension 3102, in advance to arrange assistance.
