Whether your family enjoys either a traditional roast or a potentially dangerous fry, turkey and other foods are instrumental to enjoying a great Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, many families in Morris County struggle to put food on their tables. To address this need, Delbarton will hold its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive on November 21 to gather food for the Interfaith Food Pantry and to address food insecurity, or the inability to obtain consistent access to healthy food in Morris County.
The problems associated with food insecurity are all too real for local residents. According to current estimates from the Interfaith Food Pantry, approximately 30,360 Morris County residents are currently experiencing food insecurity, with 30% of Morris County households earning less than the bare minimum income ($72,264) for a family of four to cover basic necessities. Food insecurity is especially pernicious among the elderly, with approximately 22% of Morris County Seniors reporting that they skipped a meal or ate less in order to save money. To its enormous credit, the Interfaith Food Pantry reports that it distributed 2.1 million pounds of food in 2023 alone.
And that is where the Green Wave comes in. The Delbarton Thanksgiving Food Drive has a long and respected history, and it has only improved its operations over the years. One of these improvements was the introduction of a truck. In 1994, Father Edward Seton, then coordinator of the Food Drive, asked Nick Taro, a Delbarton parent who owned a major trucking company, for a trailer to transport the food collected by the students. Mr. Taro has generously donated a truck ever since, and this change increased both the size of the donations and Delbarton’s capacity to deliver.
This year, all early signs point to even greater success with the Thanksgiving Food Drive. Delbarton gave each deanery a single food category so that the donations can be spread evenly to all the needs of the food pantry. The categories include fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy, protein, side dishes, soups, baby supplies, and specialty items. During homeroom, deaneries will pack the food into boxes and carry the boxes to the truck. There, the food drive coordinators will pack the boxes into the truck. After school, student volunteers travel to the Interfaith Food Pantry to unload the truck and deliver the food to the pantry.
The Thanksgiving Food Drive is a great annual success not just because of the dedicated faculty and student coordinators, but also because of the Delbarton zeal for service. Thanksgiving for many residents of Morris County would not be the same without the Delbarton community and our Food Drive. So, no matter how well your favorite football team plays on Thanksgiving, take solace in the fact that due to your actions, your neighbors get to enjoy the Thanksgiving we all deserve.
