Top photo credit: Mount Carmel Guild
Leaders and supporters of Trenton-based Mount Carmel Guild are aiming to slap an expiration date on the hunger that impacts its community by taking on the issue of food insecurity.
The Guild has long been a sanctuary for those facing the quiet, gnawing reality of hunger and other poverty-driven challenges. Funded in part by the Diocese of Trenton, the nonprofit agency has served the wider Trenton area for more than 100 years, providing essential support to individuals and families facing hardship.
Daren S. Miller, executive director, recently described the Guild’s operations and mission, stating, “Through the Guild’s Community Support Program — anchored by our open-choice food pantry and our Home Health Nursing Program — we work to ensure that our neighbors have access to nutritious food, compassionate care, and pathways toward stability and dignity.”
Key to the Guild’s ability to impart their services and positively impact its community are Mission Members — more than 400 dedicated stakeholders whose contributions help to fund staff salaries, food supplies and other programming expenses. This group is kept up-to-date on the Guild’s progress and challenges at an annual meeting, slated this year for May 13. But the focus and format of the 2026 gathering are taking a new turn.
Miller explained that, for the first time, they are inviting the public to attend their Mission Members meeting for a special forum “Navigating Change: Advancing Regional Food Security.” The event will be held in the Diocese’s Chancery in Lawrenceville from 10 a.m. to noon.
Pointing to the persistent and complex nature of the hunger issue, Miller cited a sobering reality: “Last year, the Guild served more than 18,000 households yet the need continues to grow. This reality reminds us that while food is essential, it is not enough on its own to end hunger. True, lasting change requires addressing the deeper challenges families face every day.”
To address this cycle, the forum will feature a comprehensive panel of experts. They include:
Elizabeth McCarthy, CEO of the Community FoodBank of NJ, who will provide a bird’s-eye view of the food insecurity crisis across the state.
Cecilia Avila, director of Hunger Prevention, Arm In Arm.
Joan Healy, program director of the federal food program Women, Infants and Children, who will address the impact that food insecurity has on prenatal care. She will also delve into the need for mothers and pregnant women to have access to quality nutrition and the role that the Guild has in providing such food.
Michael Packer, Health Equity Manager with UnitedHealth, who will round out the health perspective, connecting the dots between food access and chronic conditions like hypertension.
Miller noted that through partnerships, the Guild is evolving toward a more comprehensive model, connecting individuals to ESL and job readiness programs that move them from short-term support to long-term self-sufficiency.
The Diocese of Trenton Chancery is located at 701 Lawrenceville Rd, Trenton, NJ 08648. There is no fee and refreshments will be served. Registration by May 5 is requested. Register Online: www.mtcarmelguild.org; Register by Phone: 609-392-5159 ext. 111.