PARSIPPANY — GAF, who recently partnered up with Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry (IFP) held a drive-thru farmers market at their headquarters in Parsippany on Friday, June 12. The drive-thru farmers market was open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
After suspending its free farmers’ markets during the onset of COVID-19 due to lack of space the Interfaith Food Pantry (IFP), which serves Morris County partnered with GAF to provide fresh produce for more than 500 households by creating a drive-thru farmers market.
North America’s largest roofing manufacturer transformed its Parsippany campus into a community assembly line where volunteers placed groceries and fresh produce directly into the trunks of IFP clients’ vehicles to maintain safe social distancing.
Carolyn Lake, Executive Director of the Interfaith Food Pantry said “Finding a new and creative way to reopen our free farmers market will help fight hunger and improve the health and well-being of thousands of people across Morris County. Thank you to all of our supporters and to GAF for helping provide a safe environment that helps restore a sense of normalcy for our clients.”
“We’re happy we could help put our space to good use and support our neighbors through the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County. Fighting hunger continues to be a challenging issue affecting many homes across the U.S., especially amid the ongoing pandemic, and we’re glad we could help re-establish this service to provide fresh produce to people in need of healthy food options,” said Jim Schnepper, President of GAF.
IFP has already distributed more than 500,000 pounds of food this year, serving 8,000 families. The number of new families requesting assistance from the Interfaith Food Pantry has increased by 300% from the same period last year. Increased awareness and support of the free farmers market can make a significant impact in restoring a sense of normalcy for hundreds of households.
The Interfaith Food Pantry is the largest provider of supplemental and emergency food in Morris County. As a non-profit, 501(c)(3) community-based organization, they provide food, nutrition education, and related resources to residents during times of need. The organization distributed over 1.2 million pounds of food in 2019, serving over 33,000 people, primarily low-income working families and senior citizens living on fixed incomes. For more information click here. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call (973) 538-8049, ext. 210.
More homes and businesses in the U.S. are protected by a GAF roof than by any other product. We are the leading roofing manufacturer in North America, and as a Standard Industries company, GAF is part of the largest roofing and waterproofing business in the world. For more than 130 years, people have trusted GAF to protect what matters most in their daily lives.
Today, GAF has more than 3,700 employees working in over 25 communities across the U.S. GAF’s focus on Protecting What Matters Most includes an ongoing commitment to strengthening the communities where it operates by bringing together its time, talents and financial resources to work hand-in-hand with its employees, local leaders, and non-profit organizations. The company’s proactive community engagement efforts focus on powering the potential of these shared communities. For more information about GAF click here.
