BERKELEY – The good news is that there is a food bank that helps dozens of people a month in Berkeley.
The bad news is that there are so many people in need.
The food bank is held on the fourth Friday of every month. It is located at the Holiday City at Berkeley clubhouse, 631 Jamaica Blvd. The truck comes at about 9:45 a.m. Volunteers put out all the food on tables, categorized as well as possible.
The food bank started out as a once-in-a-while thing, but the demand became so great that it had to become a monthly event. At one recent food bank, there were 150 people served, Councilwoman Sophia Gingrich said.
The food comes as part of the Mobile Choice Pantry Program, which brings supplies of food to locations where it is needed most. It is run by Fulfill, which was formerly known as the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
People need to fill out paperwork in order to take part in the food bank, she said.
Thanksgiving Meals
Additionally, orders will be filled for Thanksgiving meals for needy people, Gingrich said. There will be to-go meals consisting of turkey, vegetables, and other holiday staples. The meals will be cooked by the culinary academy at the Ocean County Vocational-Technical School.
Up until Nov. 22, they will be taking orders for Thanksgiving dinners. These will be dispersed on Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving, at the Manitou Park Firehouse, 110 3rd Ave., in the Manitou Park section of Berkeley Township.
Call Gingrich at 732-272-2255 for more information.
Don’t Feed The Deer
In other news, a resident asked the Township Council to address their laws regarding the feeding of wildlife.
Richard Polidore said neighbors on his street in Holiday City at Carefree have been feeding the deer. When told they weren’t allowed to feed them, they bought bird feeders and mounted them low enough for the deer to eat.
This results in the deer being too close to the homes. He said they bring ticks and leave droppings.
Councilwoman Judy Noonan agreed that the deer need to be kept away from the houses, as they can become a nuisance. They also become too trusting of people, which leads to them walking down roads and getting hit by cars.
