Bergen County hospitals ask community to stop sending meals, give to food pantries instead

Kristie Cattafi
NorthJersey.com

The same day that statewide coronavirus hospitalizations reached a milestone, falling below 2,000 for the first time in two months, local hospitals asked the community to stop sending food their way, and instead redirect donations to the Center for Food Action. 

Englewood Health, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, Holy Name Medical Center and Valley Health System have asked for any food donations to be redirected to help with growing needs statewide. 

Last month, over 1 million New Jersey workers filed for unemployment, a record number. Local food pantries have been struggling to keep up with high demand.

More than 150,000 meals have been donated to feed the health care teams at the hospitals since the pandemic hit New Jersey. 

"Now, all four institutions are asking their communities to continue those efforts, with a renewed focus on feeding individuals and families who are struggling to put food on the table," the hospitals said in a joint statement Friday. 

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The hospitals are no longer accepting prepared meals and food donations, as normal operations begin to resume.

Hospitalizations were reported Friday at 1,933 as of June 4, continuing to show a sharp decline from the peak in mid-April, when that number his 8,045, leaving hospitals and health care workers overwhelmed.

The hospital's staff said they are grateful to the public for their outpouring of generosity and support, and urge them to keep the spirit of giving alive, as financial hardships triggered by the crisis take a toll on Bergen County residents.

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“Thousands of local families need help,” said Patricia Espy, executive director of Center for Food Action, which provides food, housing, utility, and heating assistance and offers counseling and advocacy services to low-income individuals and families in northern New Jersey.

“We encourage individuals and organizations to continue to support local restaurants by donating meal vouchers, through direct financial donations to the Center for Food Action. Your generosity will create resounding impact and help curb hunger, promote better health, and sustain local restaurants in our shared communities.”

The Center for Food Action will use donations to purchase meal vouchers from restaurants and then will distribute the voucher to the more than 1,000 households it serves each week.

To give a voucher to a family in need, contact the Center for Food Action at 201-569-1804 or visit cfanj.org/GiveAMeal.

Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: cattafi@northjersey.com Twitter: @KristieCattafi