Food in, food out

Last Updated on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 12:57 pm Written by SUZANNE MARINO Monday, November 12, 2012 04:33 pm

Community FoodBank opens bigger, better food collection and distribution facility

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – After 18 months of operating out of the former Value City Department Store in the Shore Mall, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch officially opened a brand new facility Saturday, Oct. 27 at its former location.

Time and termites had done a number on the old warehouse at 6735 Black Horse Pike, and it was demolished last year. Taking its place is a 29,000-square-foot building – more than 2,000 square feet bigger the original. Where the old building had no loading dock, the new building features a loading dock with three bay doors.

Executive director Margie Barham said the food bank now has nearly twice the refrigerator and freezer space, and hopes to increase the amount of fresh produce it will be able to offer.

Saturday was also National Make a Difference Day, which proved to be a great day to kick off the opening with plenty of volunteers rolling up their sleeves to be a part of the effort to feed area families. Groups came from all across the county – the Praise Team from the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Pleasantville, the Philippine Nurses Association from Galloway Township and students from the William H.Ross Elementary School in Margate.

The Ross students dropped off about 1,000 pounds of nonperishable food they purchased at ShopRite of Somers Point with more than $1,400 they raised through their school garden, according to school garden coordinator Jessica Cuevas. They grew and harvested produce in the garden, then sold it over the summer at the Margate Community Farmers Market.

To learn more about how to help at the Community FoodBank see

http://www.njfoodbank.org/southern-branch.