Tameerah Worthington of Asbury Park was all smiles as she enjoyed Mercy Center’s Juneteenth Cookout, and even happier that this special day was being honored.
Tameerah said, “I think it’s a good thing. I appreciate Mercy Center doing something for Juneteenth, so people can understand and have knowledge about it. Believe it or not, there are a lot of African Americans who don’t know anything about it, so things like this bring awareness.”
Two-year-old Oliver Garcia of Asbury Park (pictured above) also loved the fresh produce and cookout. His mom, Estefania Melendez, told us, “We love this place. And, you can see my son likes it, too.”
Mercy Center, in collaboration with Mount Saint Mary’s University Jersey Shore Alumni Chapter, held the special Juneteenth Cookout to bring together the community for a day of celebration, reflection, and delicious food. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.
The Juneteenth Cookout featured burgers, wings, water, chips, and cookies. Mercy Center’s food pantry also distributed fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as staples to take home.
Tameerah, Estefania, and Oliver are among the people in Monmouth County currently being served by Mercy Center’s food pantry. In 2022, we served 35,000 people. That’s up significantly from the 1,558 people we served in 2021.
Give a gift today to help Mercy Center’s food pantry keep up with growing demand in our community for food.
