Scotch Plains Food Pantries Need Donations This Summer

Two Scotch Plains food pantries are running critically low on supplies, and Councilwoman Ellen Zimmerman is asking residents to help before the summer shortage gets worse.

Union County Life is sharing her June 12 message because the need is immediate and the ask is simple: bring one item this week.

What Scotch Plains Pantries Need Right Now

St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church at 2032 Westfield Avenue, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 needs toothbrushes, instant oatmeal, juice boxes, plain white rice, toilet paper, and cooking oil. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1571 South Martine Avenue, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 is specifically short on pasta, tuna, and cereal. Donations at Immaculate Heart go in through the rear entrance. The food pantry there is open every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM and every second Sunday of the month at the same time. Facebook

Zimmerman, a licensed social worker with food bank experience, explains the timing. During the school year, nearly 28 million children eat lunch at school through free or reduced-price programs. When school ends, those meals disappear and families turn to local pantries to fill the gap. Donations drop off at the same time — most food drives are tied to the holiday season, not summer.

The gap shows up in the numbers. In Union County, 10.9 percent of residents — more than 62,000 people — experience food insecurity. The federal Summer Food Service Program exists to help, but reaches only about 16 percent of the children who need it.

A donation in July does as much as one made at Christmas. Hunger does not take a summer vacation.

For a full list of food pantry locations in Scotch Plains, visit scotchplainsnj.gov/news/1754-scotch-plains-food-pantry-locations. Volunteer opportunities are available through both parishes and local social service agencies — contact either church directly to ask.

Stay informed about Scotch Plains news and announcements on Union County Life.