Town of Newton in support of Project Self-Sufficiency of Sussex County

Newton, NJ December 3, 2013: Thanksgiving is the time to enjoy family, food, and friends. We eat to excess and complain about weight and leftovers for days to come afterwards. For families in our community, this simply isn’t possible.

The food insecure face unique challenges. They eat when they can, what they can, where they can. Low-income neighborhoods frequently lack full-service grocery stores and farmers markets. Shopping is limited to small neighborhood convenience and corner stores, where fresh produce and high-nutrition items are limited. Items at food sourcing organizations are restrained by what is donated and their own budgets: meaning it is often more of the same canned foods and non-perishable items.

Compounding the daily challenge of the food insecure is the fact that healthy foods are more expensive therefore less accessible. They must stretch their limited resources giving them the alternative of buying cheap, less nutritional foods. Unfortunately, this lifestyle often leads to obesity, diabetes and other health related risks. Added costs that neither food insecure nor society can afford.

This #GivingTuesday, the national movement encouraging individuals and companies to give on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, YouGiveGoods is taking a different approach to help the hungry by promoting a drive to raise fresh produce in New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Do not go to the store just yet. This unique drive utilizes an online platform: http://www.yougivegoods.com/TownOfNewtonFreshProduceDrive

YouGiveGoods is encouraging our communities to give back by going online to donate fresh produce, as well as other highly nutritional goods. The Town of Newton has partnered with Project Self Sufficiency to help bring these fresh food items to families in need in Sussex County.

Why online rather than in person? Dropping food off is often the most inefficient means of helping our nonprofits, and for many it is a process, which dissuades them from even donating. Due to strict laws regarding what goods can and cannot be used by organizations, up to 55% of donations may need to be discarded. To compound matters, in the modern age, the entire process of purchasing, storing and dropping off goods may prevent people from taking part in a drive. YouGiveGoods is the most efficient means of donating goods.

There is no excuse this year not to help our community’s food insecure fill their pantry with healthy foods. This #GivingTuesday, lets get involved with a national movement by focusing on our local area. 

Contact:

Gina Thomas

Community Resource Partners

Stanhope, NJ 07874

(973) 448-9968

promotecommunities@gmail.com

www.communityresourcepartnersnj.com

www.projectselfsufficiency.org/

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