PARSIPPANY — The Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry was the recent recipient of a major food donation made by Wegmans Food Markets which delivered more than 8,700 pounds of food — about half of a trailer-load — to the Pantry’s headquarters in Parsippany, adjacent to Central Park of Morris County.
The donated food is the first of two shipments pledged by Wegmans. A second donation of a similar size is scheduled for delivery to the Pantry in September, which would bring the total donation to the equivalent of a full tractor-trailer load of food.
The donation will supplement the food the Pantry currently distributes to nearly 10,000 Morris County residents. Pantry clients include low-income working families, seniors and those with disabilities living on fixed incomes and many others in need or crisis.
“This is just another example of the great corporate neighbors we have in Morris County, who make themselves integral partners in our community and help those in need while improving our quality of life,” said Morris County Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo, who is the county governing board’s liaison on human services matters.
The timing of the first donation coincides with the IFP’s need for supplies during the summer when food donations run low, and at the same time, many families request additional items because their children who receive meals at school are now being fed at home.
The fall donation would coincide with the IFP’s need to replenish supplies from the high demand seen throughout the summer months.
The donation coincides with the scheduled opening of a new Wegmans store at 34 Sylvan Way, with an expected July 23 opening date.
Since announcing plans to move to Morris County more than two years ago, Wegmans has partnered with the Interfaith Food Pantry, sponsoring several events, such as the IFP’s “Kitchen to Table” program. That program is aimed at providing nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals to elderly and disabled clients served by the Pantry’s home delivery program.
The Interfaith Food Pantry is a non-profit, community-based organization that serves Morris County residents by providing food, education and related resources to Morris County residents during their time of need. The organization distributed over one million pounds of food in 2016. For more information click here.
