The Atlantic County Utilities Authority’s recycling team collected 17,913 pounds of food during a two-week period in December as part of the authority’s Holiday Food Drive that benefits the Community FoodBank of New Jersey Southern Branch.
The annual drive provides a simple opportunity for residents to donate to those in need by placing a bag of canned food donations next to their recycling bin on collection day. The donations are then taken to the CFBNJ in Egg Harbor Township by ACUA’s collection team.
“The ACUA has partnered with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, on this drive for 32 years,” President Rick Dovey said in a news release. “Since our first collection in 1991, the drive has netted more than 1 million pounds in donations, which is an incredible accomplishment for both organizations.”
Nearly 70,000 people in Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties are food insecure, including one in five children. Inflation has greatly impacted many families, placing more demand on local food banks to fulfill needs, according to the release.
To learn more about how you can help, contact the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s Southern Branch at 609-383-8843 or visit www.cfbnj.org. For more information, call 609-272-6950 or visit www.acua.com/fooddrive.
