Top photo caption: Representatives from various agencies join Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, third from left, to celebrate the grand opening of the FEED NJ program’s new food pantry located in the Community Center at Mayor Donnelly Homes in Trenton. Courtesy photo
By Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, has opened a new food pantry in the Trenton Housing Authority’s Major Donnelly Homes, expanding access to fresh, nutritious food for residents in some of the city’s most food-insecure neighborhoods.
The pantry officially opened July 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community partners and representatives from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which awarded Catholic Charities a two-year, $495,000 grant through its Food Equity and Economic Development in New Jersey (FEED NJ) program.
“As a former resident of this city, my heart was heavy when I reviewed the list of the top 15 food desert communities in New Jersey and saw areas in Trenton ranked sixth and 11th,” said Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton. “We are grateful to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for having the vision to address food insecurity on a large scale, and we are proud to be part of the solution.”
The grant supports a broader effort to improve food access throughout Trenton. In addition to the pantry at Major Donnelly Homes, Catholic Charities has established four food distribution sites across the city. Each location will operate two days a month, providing residents with fresh produce, meat and shelf-stable groceries.
“The mission of FEED NJ,” said Arnold Valentin Jr., director of Community Services for Catholic Charities, “works to reduce hunger, support vulnerable communities and connect families with resources that encourage stability, independence and health.”
Unlike traditional food pantries, the new program uses an open-choice model, allowing visitors to select their food preferences. Residents also can place orders through a mobile app, making the program more convenient and accessible.
Inside the pantry, bins of fresh fruits and vegetables line the entrance, while freezers are stocked with beef, chicken, turkey and pork. Refrigerators hold hundreds of cartons of eggs, and shelves are filled with pantry staples such as canned vegetables, cereal and beans.
“They have provided us space for our pantry, helped identify sites for our distribution centers and have been instrumental in getting the word out to residents,” he said.
Kiya King-Green, the housing authority’s director of resident and community services, said the partnership will have a direct impact on families.
“Bringing this pantry directly into the community removes barriers that prevent residents from accessing fresh produce,” she said. “We are in the heart of a food desert, among the highest number of people experiencing food insecurity.”
The FEED NJ program awarded $30 million in grants of up to $500,000 to 73 organizations statewide, including 16 projects in Trenton, according to Tara Colton, NJEDA’s chief economic security officer.
“We are trying to put resources into the hands of the experts and provide resources in a way that allows solutions to be driven and designed within communities so they meet the needs of the people they’re serving,” Colton said.
She noted that the grant competition was highly competitive and praised Catholic Charities’ proposal for its long-term sustainability.
Catholic Charities partnered with the Trenton Housing Authority, Trenton Health Team, Mount Carmel Guild, Puerto Rican Community Center and Mercer Street Friends to launch the initiative. Vendors include Crest Paper Products, City Beef, M. Fellinger Co., Snipes Farm and Education Center, and Rolling Harvest Food Rescue.
Lao-Collins said Catholic Charities has long worked to combat food insecurity in the city by working in collaboration with Mount Carmel Guild in hosting a food pantry on the campus of Mount Carmel Guild. Now to have the opportunity to expand those serving people in neighborhoods where there is a great need is something for which Lao-Collins completely supports and appreciates.
“FEED NJ is truly a community effort, and together we are working to ensure that no one in Trenton is left behind and that no one goes hungry,” Lao-Collins said.