Annual county food drive provides more than 15,000 meals

The United Way of Gloucester County, the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders’ Human Services Advisory Council and the People for People Foundation held the 13 th Annual Gloucester County Cares about Hunger food drive Feb. 26 through March 4.

 

By Community Bulletin
The United Way of Gloucester County, the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders’ Human Services Advisory Council and the People for People Foundation held the 13th Annual Gloucester County Cares about Hunger food drive Feb. 26 through March 4.

The final collection was at the United Way of Gloucester County office in Thorofare on March 5 bringing to total meals provided to more than 15,000.

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s food drive,” said Michael Gower, Executive Director of the United Way of Gloucester County. “The food collected will help so many of our neighbors in need who face food insecurity on a daily basis. The United Way of Gloucester County is grateful for the opportunity to work with community partners and volunteers to make this food drive a success.”

This year, because of the generosity of 57 local businesses, organizations, and individuals, 18,069 pounds of food has been donated to the Food Bank of South Jersey.

The poundage equates to 15,058 meals. Since the 2006 start of the drive, 179,951 pounds of food has been collected.

Also collected was roughly 500 pounds of pet food, which will be distributed through a local food pantry to help food-insecure families to feed their pets. It is sometimes forgotten that pets are an important part of many families, and the pet food collection helps families keep their pets instead of surrendering them to an animal shelter.