MANAHAWKIN – WBNJ 91.9 FM together with the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, and the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau are holding a food drive on October 7 at the Ocean County Southern Service Center, located at 179 Main Street/Route 9 in Manahawkin. This food drive will benefit the Military Support Alliance Food Warriors Program.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 7, WBNJ will broadcast live, soliciting listeners to help by donating non-perishable food items to fill a box truck. WBNJ General Manager Bill Clanton Jr. said, “We have a very generous listening audience that is happy to contribute.” Items needed are cake mixes, brownie mix, grits, salad dressings, breakfast bars, mac & cheese, flavored side dishes, breakfast cereal, pancake syrup, pancake mixes, canned goods, dry pasta, pasta sauces, peanut butter, jelly, or any non-perishable food item.
Active service men and women stationed at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst have a genuine struggle to put food on their tables. The Food Warriors program needs over 4,000 lbs. of food per week to keep up with the needs of these families stationed at the base. MSA Food Warriors Coordinator Mike Schaffer stated, “No one is going hungry on my watch.” Schaffer is also the American Legion State Chaplain. The Food Warriors program was started 18 months ago to help families of active service men and women stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. To date they have supplied over 100,000 lbs. of food and over $40,000 in monetary donations to families in need.
“We are pleased to join with WBNJ 91.9 FM in supporting this event,” said Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau. “Ocean County is proud to be home to the largest veteran population in the state. Through the Veterans Service Bureau, we work to make certain our military members are supported in all areas. We encourage our residents to come out on October 7 to donate food and to also meet the staff of our Veterans Service Bureau.”
