Food pantries can be a safety net for those less fortunate, especially at Thanksgiving when they can enable people to get the items needed to prepare a special dinner for their friends and family.
Lori Oliff, director of Food Outreach Services at the Bergen County-based Center for Food Action, said the center’s sites in Englewood, Hackensack, Mahwah, and Saddle Brook have seen a substantial increase in the number of people who have shown up seeking food due to the disruption of SNAP benefits.
“They have shown up, saying we have nothing to eat. And people calling up and saying they don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Oliff said.
In Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties, various food pantries will be distributing or collecting food and other items as Thanksgiving approaches or on that day. If you’re in need, stop by.
Boxes of fresh produce sits on pallets during a Thanksgiving produce distribution at Overpeck County Park in Ridgefield Park on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Through the Bergen County Office of Food Security and New Jersey Community FoodBank, 90,000 pounds of produce were distributed.
Bergen County
Office of Concern Food Pantry at St. Cecilia Church
Anybody registered with the pantry or in an emergency who needs food can receive food for Thanksgiving will get an uncooked turkey or ham, a 20-pound box of produce, and a box of other food items, including cranberry sauce, stuffing, and yams, to prepare meals at their home or a space where they can prepare meals. The box can be picked up at the pantry at 55 West Demarest Ave. in Englewood during Thanksgiving week: Nov. 24, 25, and 26 from 9 a.m. to noon.
For those who register for food, bring some form of identification that lists an address to the pantry during operating hours from Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. – noon. The pantry also accepts walk-ins. Those wishing to donate should do so with supermarket gift cards and monetary donations. For more information, visit https://www.officeofconcern.com/donate or call 201-568-1465.
Center For Food Action
People who have made an appointment with the Center for Food Action will receive a Thanksgiving food package that includes frozen turkeys, fresh produce, and non-perishable food items that will be distributed at the center’s four Bergen County sites from Nov. 21 to 26, as well as delivered to clients unable to travel to the sites. The sites are 192 West Demarest Ave. in Englewood, 316 First St. in Hackensack, 90 Ridge Road in Mahwah, and 224 Midland Ave. in Saddle Brook. The packages will be distributed during the operating hours at the various sites. The center also requests monetary donations instead of food donations. For more information about hours and sites as well as donations, visit cfanj.org or call 201-569-1804.
Essex County
13th Annual Turkey Ride/Human Needs Food Pantry
The Montclair Bikery presents the 13th Annual Turkey Ride benefiting the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair on Nov. 23. Cyclists will meet at the Montclair Bikery at 148 Valley Road in Montclair at 9 a.m. before embarking on a 15-mile ride that starts at 10 a.m. The first stop on the ride is Kings Supermarket, 650 Valley Road in Montclair, where cyclists purchase frozen turkeys before riding over to deliver them to the Human Needs Food Pantry at 9 Label St.
People wanting to participate in the ride can register at www.bikereg.com/Montclair-Bikery-Turkey-Ride or in person at the store before the ride. All riders must be 18 years or older, or 13 and over with a parent, and wear a helmet. Riders may also sign up on the day of the ride and are asked to bring $20 to purchase the turkey. Cyclists can buy additional turkeys, and they will be delivered to the Pantry as well.
For those not able to participate, donations are welcome with a contribution for turkeys made at the Montclair Bikery, at JustGiving.com/campaign/turkeyride2025 or by sending/dropping off checks made out to the Human Needs Food Pantry. Checks can be delivered to both the Bikery and the Pantry.
The Pantry is collecting Thanksgiving food items by Nov. 20 to provide a holiday meal for clients. It is seeking turkeys (or turkey breasts), boxed or bagged stuffing, canned sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn muffin mix – small boxes, canned corn, instant mashed potatoes, turkey gravy – (canned, no jars please), canned vegetables, pie crust mix, canned pie fillings, and canned pumpkin. Donations can be brought in person to the pantry during operating hours or visit its Amazon wishlist at https://a.co/66CSSkt. For more information, call 973-746-4669 or visit humanneedsfoodpantry.org/.
Morris County
Interfaith Food Pantry
The pantry is accepting donations now of various items for its Thanksgiving distribution. They include turkey, turkey breast, ham or large chicken; instant mashed potatoes; stuffing; turkey gravy (no glass jars please); apple, cranberry, and grape juice (100% fruit juice, 64 oz.); cranberry sauce; hearty soup, and brownie mix, cake mix, and icing. A full list of items sought for Thanksgiving can be found at mcifp.org/donate/donate-food/thanksgiving-faq/.
The items can be brought to the pantry warehouse at 2 Executive Dr. in Morris Plains from Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Fridays by appointment. Keep fresh items separate and inform the pantry when these items are brought so they can be stored properly. The pantry will close at noon on Nov. 26 and will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, and Nov. 28. For more information, call 973-538-8049, visit mcifp.org or email [email protected].
A tractor trailer is loaded with turkeys bound for the Center for Food Action at the Thanksgiving turkey drive at PriceRite Marketplace in Garfield, New Jersey, in November 2024.
Denville Township Food Pantry
The pantry is doing a food drive for Thanksgiving food distribution until Nov. 21. Donations of canned goods and other non-perishable items can be brought to several locations in Denville:
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Denville Township Public Library, 121 Diamond Spring Road
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Denville Town Hall, 1 St Mary’s Place
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Denville Diary, 34a Broadway
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Pure Barre, 20 W. Main St.
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AVIDD Community Services of NJ, 92 Broadway
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Duphiney Financial Network – 145 Diamond Spring Road
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Tropical Smoothie Cafe – Denville Commons, 3130 Route 10 West.
A list of items can be found at https://www.facebook.com/friendsdss.
Turkey donations are only on Nov. 20-21 to be brought to the pantry on the 2nd floor of Town Hall by 4 p.m. Then, the distribution will begin on Nov. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. to noon at the food pantry. Residents of Denville who are registered with the pantry will receive the Thanksgiving food. For more information, call 973-625-8300, ext. 269.
Passaic County
The United Passaic Organization are giving away turkeys at Mount Zion Church, 857 Main Ave. in Passaic. Call 973-472-2478 or email [email protected] for more information.
Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter/X: @ricardokaul
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ food pantries open for Thanksgiving 2025: See list
