ASBURY PARK — On Tuesday, June 23, the Mercy Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate their new collaborative initiative to expand access to food and reduce waste.
Mercy Center, Move For Hunger, Americas Gleaned Seafood, and local pantry partners all worked together to address rising food insecurity across Monmouth County and surrounding communities.
The initiative includes the installation of a new commercial freezer at Mercy Center’s 901 Main Street location, allowing the organization to safely store and distribute seafood and other donated food items. The added cold-storage capacity will also help Mercy Center support smaller partner pantries that don’t have adequate refrigeration space. The freezer was made possible through a grant from Impact 100 Jersey Coast to Move For Hunger.
“This project represents what can happen when organizations come together with a shared commitment to addressing hunger and reducing waste,” said Kim Guadagno, President and CEO of Mercy Center. “By expanding our capacity to safely store and distribute high-quality protein options, we are helping ensure that more families have access to nutritious food.”
Adam Lowy, Founder and Executive Director of Move For Hunger added, “At Move For Hunger, we know that fighting hunger requ
ires more than moving food, it requires building the infrastructure that makes food rescue possible. These cold storage units will help Mercy Center and America’s Gleaned Seafood accept and distribute more fresh, nourishing food, while keeping good food from going to waste. This is exactly the kind of practical, community-based solution that can make an immediate difference for families in Asbury Park and across the region.”
Brick Wenzel, Founder of Americas Gleaned Seafood said, “For generations, fishermen have shared their catch with neighbors in need. We’re simply building a system that allows us to do that on a larger scale. Americas Gleaned Seafood works to redirect underutilized seafood from the commercial fishing industry to food banks and pantries, helping provide a valuable source of food to families in need. Mercy Center’s new freezer strengthens that effort and expands what’s possible through collaboration.”
ABOUT MERCY CENTER
Mercy Center strives to alleviate generational poverty in the Greater Asbury Park area through programs and services that empower, enrich, and educate. The center provides emergency support including a food pantry, clothing assistance, and utility bill support for families in need. Its resource center offers referrals and counseling services. The Sisters Academy of New Jersey, operated by Mercy Center, is a tuition-free middle school in Asbury Park serving girls in grades 4–8 from economically challenged families in the city and surrounding communities.
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