The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that, after the voting on the Community's Choice Awards' nominees for Best Nonprofit Organization of 2024, we are in the final four. The winner will be announced at the "Best of Bergen" gala on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at The Terrace in Paramus. Thank you to everyone who supports our organization and its work in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey, and we hope that The Food Brigade will be recognized as Best Nonprofit Organization for the second year in a row.

Congratulations to our President, Karen DeMarco, for winning the 2023 Andrus Award, and thank you to AARP for bestowing this honor upon Karen and for recognizing the work of The Food Brigade in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in New Jersey!

On Wednesday, November 15 in Anaheim, California, our president Karen DeMarco was awarded the national "Good Neighbor Award" for her volunteer work with The Food Brigade. Congratulations to Karen, and thank you to the National Association of Realtors and Realtor.com for your financial support! Thank you also to the New Jersey Realtors Association, Greater Bergen Realtors, and Coldwell Banker Realty for supporting Karen and The Food Brigade.

What does The Food Brigade do? How did we come to be? Watch this wonderful new video about our organization and our co-founder, Karen DeMarco, and hear the words of our clients themselves about the impact of our work:

Our President, Karen DeMarco, is on the cover of the current edition of the nationwide publication REALTOR® Magazine. Congratulations to Karen on winning the NAR's "Good Neighbor Award" among 1.6 million Realtors® in the United States, and thank you for proudly representing The Food Brigade at the national level!

The Food Brigade would like to once again thank IKEA for its ongoing support. Their Paramus store is holding a "Feed a Family" donation drive, with donated food bags including frozen meatballs, mashed potatoes, gravy mix, lingonberry fruit spread, and cinnamon buns. Thank you, IKEA, for your partnership in the fight against food insecurity in Bergen County and North Jersey!

On October 27, The Food Brigade traveled to Longmeadow Farm in Hope, New Jersey for a "food gleaning" operation. We were able to rescue 1,400 pounds of red delicious apples, 245 pounds of potatoes, and 75 pounds of cabbage for distribution to our clients.

The Food Brigade recently visited the food pantry at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scotch Plains. Their food supplies were low; they put the word out to the community for help, and The Food Brigade and local residents responded. Their pantry is now stocked and ready for their food distribution tomorrow! (Pictured, left to right: Fr. Mike, Karen DeMarco of The Food Brigade, Rich, Glen.)

The Food Brigade has been featured in the October 2023 edition of 201 Magazine:

One of our mottos at The Food Brigade is "Always Be Learning". That's why we frequently visit other area food pantries and hunger-relief organizations to learn what we can from their experience, knowledge, and operations. On August 31, Food Brigade Executive Director Carmine DeMarco and President Karen DeMarco visited the Franklin Food Bank to observe their "client choice" pantry, which is run in a grocery store setting complete with shopping carts. Thank you to our friends at the Franklin Food Bank for sharing your wisdom with our us! (Pictured, left to right: Allie O'Brien, Franklin Food Bank Development Director; Carmine DeMarco; Karen DeMarco; Terry Seeney-Majette, Franklin Food Bank Programs Director.)

Here is our Impact Summary for 2023 through 8/31 for our 3 food distribution centers, from where we regularly feed residents from 5 counties. We need your help to continue this impact, and to make an even greater one moving forward: we have two new food distribution centers planned for 2024 to help even more North Jersey residents in need. Hunger Action Month runs for 10 more days, so this is a great time for a one-time gift or a monthly sponsorship. Thank you for helping us in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey!

Food Brigade president Karen DeMarco will be the featured speaker at the monthly gathering of the Women's Foundation of New Jersey's "Women United in Philanthropy" on Thursday, September 21. Tickets are available at https://womensfoundationofnj.kindful.com/e/happy-hour-with-a-purpose-food-brigade. 

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that we have been selected by the County of Hudson to receive a grant in the amount of nearly $100,000 for the establishment of a new food distribution center for local residents in need. We are excited about expanding The Food Brigade's operations to our 4th location, and look forward to partnering with Hudson County in the fight against hunger and food insecurity.

Our co-founder and president, Karen DeMarco, was featured in the Sunday Bergen Record on September 17, 2023, for her work in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey.

Photo by NorthJersey.com

For Hunger Action Month, NorthJersey.com has spotlighted the work of The Food Brigade: an article, video, and gallery with 26 photos are available at
https://www.northjersey.com/story/money/real-estate/2023/09/15/bergen-realtor-who-started-food-pantry-up-for-national-award/70771889007/.

>> CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

>> CLICK HERE TO BROWSE THE PHOTO GALLERY

On Thursday, September 21, The Food Brigade's president, Karen DeMarco, will be the featured speaker at the monthly gathering of New Jersey's "Women United in Philanthropy". Tickets are available at: https://womensfoundationofnj.kindful.com/e/happy-hour-with-a-purpose-food-brigade.

Thank you to the employees of T-Mobile, and to the T-Mobile Foundation, for your generosity and your support of The Food Brigade and our clients.

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that we have been selected as a Certifying Organization to bestow the President's Volunteer Service Award. This award was founded in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations like The Food Brigade to recognize our most exceptional volunteers. Come volunteer with us, positively impact your community, and receive recognition for your contributions from the President of the United States! This is a great opportunity for college-bound students to demonstrate their level of volunteerism when submitting college admission applications.

Our President, Karen DeMarco, has been featured in a video receiving national exposure: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=833839044849512

READ: https://www.nar.realtor/good-neighbor-awards/feeding-hearts-and-bellies-in-new-jersey

WE NEED YOUR VOTE! Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco has been selected as a Good Neighbor Award finalist by the National Association of REALTORS®, for her dedication to the cause of hunger relief and food security in New Jersey - and she needs your vote!

The Good Neighbor Award is national recognition from the largest professional association in the world. Karen's volunteer work was selected from hundreds of entries nationwide, and she has been chosen as one of ten finalists. Five winners, selected in a criteria-based judging process, will each receive a $10,000 grant and national media exposure for their charity. The winners will also be honored at the NAR's annual conference in Anaheim, California in November. In addition, the public can also VOTE to award a Bonus Grant to their favorite candidate. The three Web Choice Favorites who get the most online votes will receive an additional $2,500, $1,250, and $1,250 donation to their nonprofits. So Karen and The Food Brigade have the potential to receive as much as $12,500 - with your help!

Please vote for Karen and The Food Brigade to win this bonus grant money at https://realtor.com/goodneighbor. You can vote from August 31 to October 1. Both the grant winners, as determined by judges, and the Web Choice Favorites, determined by the online voting, will be announced on October 5. Thank you for your support of the work of The Food Brigade!

September is Hunger Action Month. Please support organizations that are on the "front lines" in the fight against hunger & food insecurity. In terms of which organization(s) to choose from, please consider The Food Brigade's impact & outcomes (including our client testimonials), mission, programs, volunteer strength, and financial transparency. You can read our most recent Annual Report here.

Thank you to Table to Table, the premier food rescue organization in New Jersey, whose assistance has been critical to our ability to help so many local residents dealing with food insecurity. We look forward to an ever-deepening relationship as The Food Brigade expands its operations throughout North Jersey. (Pictured: Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco presents Certificate of Appreciation to Table to Table Vice President Julie Kinner.)

In the month of May, The Food Brigade helped feed roughly 7,500 New Jersey residents in need. That averages nearly 1,900 people each week. It included over 2,400 children. These numbers are sobering. WE NEED YOUR HELP in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. Come join us on the front lines by enlisting in the Brigade, or support us with a donation.

Today was a wonderful day of listening, learning, and sharing at the 2023 "Feeding New Jersey" statewide food pantry summit at Rider University. We can't wait to implement some of the ideas we heard! Thank you to the five food banks on New Jersey for putting this conference together: The Community FoodBank of New Jersey Food Bank of South Jersey, Fulfill, Norwescap, and Mercer Street Friends. Thanks also to Speaker Craig J. Coughlin and the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate.

Back in January 2022, The Food Brigade was featured in a TV news story by Emmy Award winning broadcast journalist Frank Ucciardo about the effect of inflation on food insecurity in New Jersey.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1575984399592172

Operating a sustainable food pantry in the 21st-century demands 21st-century approaches, especially with regard to technology. Here is a view of the client self-registration station at our Bergen Central distribution center, where newly-arrived recipients can sign up - in multiple languages - to receive assistance from The Food Brigade. Bilingual volunteers are also on hand, ready to answer any questions and to provide guidance on the process.

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that last night, we were chosen as the charity to receive the 2023 "Women United in Philanthropy" grant from the Women's Foundation of New Jersey! This $40,000 grant will fund our purchase of a commercial transport van for use in our delivery of food, diapers, and feminine products to our clients who lack the ability to pick up from us in-person. With an initial field of more than a dozen applicants, The Food Brigade was honored and humbled to have been in the company of the other two finalists, which included esteemed Bergen County charities that have been in existence for 47 and 50 years respectively. Thank you again to the Women's Foundation of New Jersey for your support and partnership!

On May 17 at our Dumont food distribution center, employees of Stryker medical devices joined us on the front lines in the fight against food insecurity. They came from all over the United States, including California, Texas, Arizona, North Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. And these awesome people helped us feed over 1,000 New Jersey residents in need from our Dumont center. Thank you to Stryker for your support of The Food Brigade and our clients!

On Wednesday, May 10, we were joined once again by our amazing friends at American Eagle Outfitters, who partnered with us to help feed 950 NJ residents (including over 300 children) who are dealing with hunger and food insecurity. Wednesday's food distribution included loads of fresh produce for our clients, including Mandarin tangerines, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, peppers, celery, carrots, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, plus boxes of mixed fresh produce that included corn, apples, and lettuce. Thank you, American Eagle Outfitters, for your ongoing support of The Food Brigade and our clients!

For the second year in a row, we're happy to share that The Food Brigade was selected for the Starbucks Foundation's Neighborhood Grants, thanks to local Starbucks partners in our community. The organizations nominated in this round are addressing homelessness, fighting hunger, and supporting youth and families. The Starbucks Foundation received over 20,000 nominations from across the U.S. and Canada; The Food Brigade was recognized as one of 2,000 nonprofits selected to receive a Neighborhood Grant. Thank you to The Starbucks Foundation for your ongoing support!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! This morning in Columbus, Ohio, Food Brigade co-founder Carmine DeMarco (with his daughter Nicole) successfully completed the Hunger Run 5K race. Carmine ran to raise donations for our operations and raise awareness of the problem of food insecurity, while working his way back to cardiac health after a heart attack.

The Food Brigade's President and co-founder, Karen DeMarco, has been featured in a national magazine - REALTOR® Magazine, the monthly publication of the NAR. "Our goal is to continue to expand our hunger relief operations by establishing food distribution centers in these food desert regions. We want to be in those areas where the need is greatest."

READ: https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/wellness/nj-realtor-leads-food-brigade-to-eliminate-hunger

On Friday night 3/31, beginning at 11:30 p.m., 14 volunteers from The Food Brigade traveled to Hillside to staff the late shift at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey's 2nd annual 24-Hour Pack-a-Thon! The Food Brigade is a proud partner agency of The Community FoodBank of New Jersey with distribution centers in two NJ counties (Bergen and Hudson).

We're upgrading our Union City food distribution center, courtesy of IKEA in Paramus. They have generously donated 15 work bench tables to The Food Brigade, for use in our weekly pantry marketplace food distributions at our Union City center. These sturdy work tables can hold cases and cases of canned food and other items. Our pantry marketplace will be ringed with these new heavy-duty tables. Thank you again, IKEA, for partnering with The Food Brigade in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in New Jersey!

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that we have been named Best Nonprofit Organization in the "Best of Bergen" readers' poll by 201 Magazine. At only 2 years old, we are honored to have been in the company of the noteworthy charities who were among the finalists. Plus, it was great to see a Bergen County food security organization / food pantry be the type of charity to be so recognized. Thank you to our amazing volunteers who are the true winners of this acknowledgement; to the readers of 201 Magazine, The Record, and NorthJersey.com for voting for us; to 201 Magazine and its staff; and to our friends and supporters at IKEA. (Pictured: Food Brigade President and Co-Founder Karen DeMarco; Executive Director and Co-Founder Carmine DeMarco.)

VIEW THE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VI1FGVqdpVU 

On Wednesday, March 8, The Food Brigade was paid a visit by our comrades-in-arms from the Center for Food Action, at our Dumont distribution center and food pantry. We traded ideas and information about food distribution procedures, inventory control, client case management, implementation of technological tools, volunteer staffing, and more. Pictured from left to right: Carmine DeMarco, Food Brigade Executive Director; Lori Oliff, CFA Englewood Site Manager & Food Outreach Coordinator; Frank Ruiz, CFA Director of Operations; Nicole Davis, CFA Executive Director; Valerie Anderson, CFA Director of Volunteer & Supporter Engagement; Doug Herrick, Food Brigade Secretary & Trustee; Helen Wood, CFA Advocate; Michele Lefkowitz, CFA Assistant Executive Director; Brian Mukamal, Food Brigade volunteer; Hugo Palacios, Food Brigade Trustee; and Karen DeMarco, Food Brigade President & Trustee.

At the last meeting of the Board of Trustees of The Food Brigade, our organization adopted a new DONOR PRIVACY POLICY, which is available for public review and inspection on our website. This policy joins our previously-existing policies which govern our organization's operations concerning the issues of Transparency & Accountability, Conflict of Interest, Nondiscrimination, Counterterrorism, Ethics, and Whistleblowing.

Our Form 990 IRS tax returns are also available for review and inspection on our website.

From our inception as a public charity, The Food Brigade has been, and will continue to be, committed to the principle of transparency in our conduct, governance, and public affairs.

At The Food Brigade, we have a saying: "We want to fill not just their bellies, but their hearts as well." And so we are privileged to have the most amazing, caring volunteers supporting the work of our organization - like Gabi Eimbinder, one of our home delivery drivers. Here, Gabi baked and delivered a cake to one of our homebound clients to celebrate her 80th birthday.

On Monday, January 30, 2023, The Food Brigade held a registration drive at the organization's new Union City distribution location. This new Food Brigade food pantry will serve residents of Hudson County, including Union City, North Bergen, Jersey City, and West New York. The registration event included the distribution of 1,100 meals to local residents dealing with food insecurity, including stewed chicken with rice, roasted pork with rice, chicken teriyaki with rice, and pasta and meatballs. The meals were provided by Lula's Latin Cuisine of Bergenfield and Cassie's Pizzeria & Restaurant of Englewood.

At only a little over two years old, The Food Brigade is honored to have been nominated - and named as a finalist - for Best Nonprofit Organization in the 17th annual "Best of Bergen Community Choice Awards" by 201 Magazine and NorthJersey.com. The awards celebrate and recognize "the best [Bergen County] has to offer". The winner will be announced in the March 2023 issue of 201 Magazine.

We say it often: the strength of The Food Brigade lies in our volunteers. They seek to fill not just our recipients' bellies, but their hearts as well. Click below to hear a great example of how our volunteers treat our recipients: with caring, kindness, and love.

[Partial transcript:] "The two volunteers that came to my house today just made me feel so happy and overwhelmed with love ... and that is something that you cannot just give, that's something that has to be SHOWN - and it was shown to me today."

On January 17/18, The Food Brigade was fortunate to distribute 285 dozen eggs to local residents in need. Many New Jerseyans have been dealing with greatly-increased prices for eggs, and some dealing with food insecurity have not been able to purchase eggs at all.

"It is hard to imagine that any one individual has done more for the hungry in New Jersey, or has helped feed more residents on such a massive scale, than Karen DeMarco."

These are the words about Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco stated on the website of the New Jersey State Governor's Volunteerism Awards.

Honorees of the Volunteerism Award "achieve measurable community impact and represent outstanding acts of public service, without the expectation of recognition or compensation. Recipients demonstrate unique vision, dedication and tenacity of heroic proportion and serve as inspiration for others." Over the past 16 years, around 300 medals have been awarded to New Jersey residents out of more than 10,000 nominations made.

Read more at https://njgovernorsawards.com/karen-demarco.

We at The Food Brigade are privileged to have the most amazing, caring volunteers supporting the work of our organization. In the below video, two of our home delivery drivers, "Road Warriors" Beth & Gabi Eimbinder (a mother-daughter team), baked and delivered a cake to one of our clients to celebrate her 92nd birthday! Thank you, Beth & Gabi, for all that you do on behalf of the homebound, food insecure residents in northern New Jersey.

https://www.facebook.com/foodbrigadeUSA/videos/532366342173620

On Sunday, December 4, 2022, The Food Brigade's President, Karen DeMarco, and Executive Director, Carmine DeMarco, made surprise deliveries of supermarket gift cards and cartons of fresh eggs to a number of delivery clients in the City of Garfield, who lack the ability to travel to pick up from the weekly food distribution events.

On a rainy Saturday, December 3, 2022, The Food Brigade's co-founders, Karen DeMarco (President) and Carmine DeMarco (Executive Director), made surprise deliveries of supermarket gift cards and cartons of fresh eggs to a number of delivery clients in Hackensack, Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, and Maywood, who lack the ability to travel to pick up from the weekly on-site food distributions.

Facebook / Meta recently donated 15 Meta Portal Go devices (10" screen), for use by The Food Brigade in video-conferencing and virtual meetings. These wireless, portable smart video devices have Alexa built in, and work with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, GoTo Meeting, and more. They will be used for monthly team meetings and for Board of Trustees meetings. Thank you to Facebook for its general donation!

On Saturday, November 26, 2022, the Knights of Columbus St. John's Council No. 1345 held a special Thanksgiving dinner for our neighbors in need in Dumont and Bergenfield. Thank you, Knights and Columbiettes!

The Food Brigade has been selected to become a local partner agency of Feed the Children, the international hunger-relief organization. This relationship will provide new, additional sources of food for The Food Brigade and its clients.

In 2021, Feed the Children, working through its partners (like The Food Brigade):

• Distributed approximately 98.9 million pounds of food and essential items worldwide to benefit more than 10 million people globally.
• Reached more than eight million children and families in the United States with distributions of shelf-stable food and essential household items valued at more than $445.7 million.
• Benefited more than two million people in the international communities through its food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and livelihood programs in 8 African, Asian, and Latin American countries.
• Helped 29,538 teachers across 482 U.S. school districts with more than $2.8 million in teaching supplies as well as books valued at more than $4 million to reach more than 803,500 students.
• Provided more than 2.1 million pounds of food and supplies valued at more than $5.6 million to disaster-affected regions in the United States.

The Food Brigade looks forward to working together as partners with Feed the Children, to help feed even more New Jersey residents dealing with hunger and food insecurity.

On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Columbia Bank employees joined The Food Brigade for their "Week of Giving" campaign, assembling bags of groceries for distribution to our clients the following day and helping to bring into our pantry the week's delivery from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco was interviewed for the November 2022 edition of Bergen Magazine:

"While the deadliness of the pandemic has waned, many of its effects are still with us, including issues plaguing the global supply chain and a worker shortage that's affected multiple sectors of the economy, from farming to food processing to transportation. Transportation, says DeMarco, 'has become a huge problem, in part because of rising prices. Instead of sending out a half-filled tractor-trailer, companies are waiting until a truck is full to send it out. So what happens is you have a lot of feast and famine - you'll get a huge amount and then, suddenly, there's nothing.'"

Click here to read the article.

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce our new collaboration with the Order of Malta. Tracing back to 1099 and formally known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and considered a sovereign entity under international law, the Order provides assistance with humanitarian and international humanitarian relations. The Order will be providing pickup services for some of our orders from The Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Thank you, Knights of Malta, for your support and your partnership!

The Food Brigade's President, Karen DeMarco, has been named to the Points of Light Foundation's 2022 Inspiration Honor Roll.

The Points of Light Foundation was founded by U.S. President George H.W. Bush, who in his inaugural address invoked the image of a "thousand points of light" and invited the nation to serve their fellow citizens.

The Inspiration Honor Roll was created to celebrate acts of service, kindness, and civic engagement by individuals who create change in communities around the world. It recognizes the people who take action, in both large and small ways, to improve the lives of others.

We at The Food Brigade congratulate Karen on having the honor of this distinction bestowed upon her.

The Food Brigade is the recent recipient of a generous donation from the Starbucks Foundation's Neighborhood Grants program. The Neighborhood Grants program supports grassroots, community-led nonprofit organizations through catalytic investments in the form of grants of up to $10,000. The grant to The Food Brigade was one of 1,700 grants totaling $2.5 million; for a full list of grantees, click here. Thank you to Starbucks, and the Starbucks Foundation, for your support of The Food Brigade's mission.

The Food Brigade will soon be opening our second food distribution location. Located on 23rd Street in Union City, this upcoming pantry is the realization of our goal to open a physical location in Hudson County, to be able to serve people in need in that area. Over 2,000 square feet, the building has two loading bays and a parking lot that can fit 10 cars. It is anticipated that it will be operated as a supermarket-style "client choice" pantry, but it will also offer home delivery to people throughout Hudson County who are dealing with hunger and food insecurity. Thank you to Salvation Door Pentecostal Church, Rev. Carlos Matos, and the entire congregation for sponsoring us; and to our site co-managers Santy & Jimmy Baez for making this a reality. (Pictured: Jimmy & Santy Baez, Food Brigade Union City pantry managers; President Karen DeMarco; Executive Director Carmine DeMarco.)

The Food Brigade is the recent recipient of a generous donation from the multi-national Gattefosse Corporation. In addition to its financial support, Gattefosse also staffed on of our food distributions operations for the day, supplying volunteers from both France and the United States. Thank you, Gattefosse, for your trans-Atlantic support!

On Wednesday, July 20, our food distribution operation was staffed by students from Bergen County Technical High School in Teterboro who are part of the "No Matter What We Stand United" club. The group helps those affected by COVID-19 through service opportunities and food/clothing drives. Thank you to an amazing group of young people, striving to make our world a better place!

On July 19, The Food Brigade's weekly "picking & bagging" operation (where clients' custom orders are assembled for pickup and delivery) was staffed by 33 American and French friends from Gattefosse Corporation. They constituted the largest single volunteer group yet to date. Merci beaucoup to the Gattefosse Corporation!

Our President and co-founder, Karen DeMarco, has been chosen as a recipient of the Daily Point of Light Award for her volunteer service work with The Food Brigade. The Points of Light Foundation was founded by President George H.W. Bush, who in his inaugural address invoked the vision of a "thousand points of light" and invited the nation to serve their fellow citizens. In 1990, President Bush created the Daily Point of Light Award for individuals making a difference.

READ THE STORY HERE: https://www.pointsoflight.org/awards/breast-cancer-survivor-pays-it-forward-by-feeding-hundreds-of-families-in-new-jersey/

The Food Brigade is the recent recipient of a generous donation from American Eagle Outfitters. In addition to its financial support, American Eagle Outfitters also staffed one of our food distribution operations for the day. Thank you, American Eagle Outfitters, for joining us in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey!

LOCAL FOOD PANTRY OFFERS INSTACART-STYLE ORDERING TO NORTH JERSEY RESIDENTS IN NEED
Clients of The Food Brigade place custom food orders online in New Jersey's first "virtual pantry" [as appears on Patch.com]

BERGEN COUNTY - A local hunger-relief charity recently launched a new initiative to offer greater food choices and options to North Jersey residents dealing with food insecurity.

Beginning in June, clients of The Food Brigade are now able to place custom orders online, selecting specific items from the nonprofit's Dumont food pantry.

"This is something we'd been planning and preparing for over the course of many months," said Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade. "We wanted to increase our client's sense of autonomy and self-determination, while at the same time promoting privacy and dignity in the food-requesting process."

Clients of The Food Brigade log in to their accounts in the organization's online store, schedule their appointments, and place their orders. Available items include refrigerated and frozen items like chicken, beef, cheese, and eggs, as well as canned and packaged items such as shelf-stable milk, peanut butter, tuna fish, chili, and macaroni and cheese. The group currently serves people in need in nearly 90 North Jersey communities, offering home delivery for sick and shut-in clients who are unable to travel to the facility to pick up their food orders.

"The standard 'client choice' food pantry has clients walk in and pick the food they want off the shelves - but we wanted to move that process online and operate like a 21st-century pantry," DeMarco added. "We're happy to be able to offer our clients the convenience of picking out their items in advance on their smart phones, and then simply going to the pantry for pickup - or having their food orders delivered to their homes without the need to even visit the pantry at all. As far as we know, we're the first 'virtual pantry' in New Jersey."

On Wednesday, May 18, The Food Brigade's weekly drive-through food distribution and "pop-up market" were staffed by employees of American Eagle Outfitters. Items distributed included 1/2 ton of assorted produce, 194 lbs. of meat, 101 lbs. of dairy products, numerous non-perishable items from our pantry, 120 lbs. of Wawa sandwiches & desserts, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, cilantro & chives, kale, and cookies, as well as 96 packaged dinner meals.

The Food Brigade is expanding its area of service and will be offering home delivery of food to people in need in the following 72 towns* in the counties of Bergen, Passaic, and Hudson.

BERGEN COUNTY:

• Allendale
• Alpine
• Bergenfield
• Bogota
• Carlstadt
• Cliffside Park
• Closter
• Cresskill
• Demarest
• Dumont
• East Rutherford
• Edgewater
• Elmwood Park
• Emerson
• Englewood
• Englewood Cliffs
• Fair Lawn
• Fairview
• Fort Lee
• Garfield
• Glen Rock
• Hackensack
• Harrington Park
• Hasbrouck Heights
• Haworth
• Hillsdale
• Ho-Ho-Kus
• Leonia
• Little Ferry
• Lodi
• Maywood
• Midland Park
• Montvale
• Moonachie
• New Milford
• Northvale
• Norwood
• Old Tappan
• Oradell
• Palisades Park
• Paramus
• Park Ridge
• Ridgefield
• Ridgefield Park
• Ridgewood
• River Edge
• River Vale
• Rochelle Park
• Rockleigh
• Rutherford
• Saddle Brook
• Saddle River
• South Hackensack
• Teaneck
• Tenafly
• Teterboro
• Upper Saddle River
• Waldwick
• Wallington
• Washington Township
• Westwood
• Woodcliff Lake
• Wood-Ridge
• Wyckoff

PASSAIC COUNTY:

• Clifton
• Haledon
• Hawthorne
• North Haledon
• Passaic
• Paterson
• Prospect Park

HUDSON COUNTY:

• North Bergen (north of 70th Street)

* partial coverage only in certain towns

The Food Brigade has earned a 2022 Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar / Candid.

Transparency has been one of The Food Brigade's core values since day one, and the organization remains committed to that value as well as to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the treatment of all clients with dignity, respect, and kindness.

The Food Brigade is committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all board members, staff, volunteers, and clients feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or any other bias.

We are pleased to announce the recent adoption of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy, unanimously approved at The Food Brigade Board of Trustees meeting on April 7, 2022.

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a generous grant from the Alfred N. Sanzari Family Foundation.

The grant funds will make possible a dedicated program for the distribution of infant diapers, diaper wipes, women's sanitary pads, and women's adult diapers, to benefit disadvantaged families in Bergen, Passaic, and Hudson Counties.

We at The Food Brigade thank the Alfred N. Sanzari Family Foundation for its support of our organization. With this grant, we will work together to better the lives of women and children in need in northern New Jersey.

The Food Brigade lent its support to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey on Friday night, March 25 into Saturday morning, March 26, at CFBNJ's first annual 24-hour "Pack-a-Thon". Our shift assembled a total of 560 family pack boxes. The Food Brigade is a proud Partner Agency of the Community FoodBank of NJ.

Watch the video at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=529363328534865.

Hunger-relief nonprofit The Food Brigade awarded over $200,000 in funding from FEMA

Grant funds will support local charity's programs to feed the hungry and food insecure in Bergen County

DUMONT, N.J. - The Food Brigade Inc., one of the largest hunger-relief operations in northern New Jersey, was recently awarded two grants by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support its food distribution operations in Bergen County.

"We're very excited that our organization has been chosen to receive these FEMA grants", said Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade. "The funds will help us to feed even more residents of Bergen County who are dealing with food insecurity."

The grant monies are being awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). Out of $1.9 million allocated to Bergen County under the two programs, The Food Brigade has been awarded a total of $201,200.

"We feel it's a good indicator of the impact our organization has had in the area of food security in Bergen County", said DeMarco. "Thanks to our incredible volunteers, we've gotten extremely proficient at getting food into the hands of those who need it the most, on a large scale."

Through its first full year of existence, as of December 31 The Food Brigade had distributed over 3 million pounds of food, over 62,000 gallons of milk, over 16,000 meals, and $25,000 worth of supermarket gift cards to local residents in need. The organization is based out of Calvary United Methodist Church in Dumont, where it maintains a food pantry, holds weekly "drive through" food distributions, and dispatches a fleet of volunteer delivery drivers. The group also helps to stock other local food pantries and relief organizations in the area. "We're like a combination food pantry/food bank/'meals on wheels', all rolled into one", DeMarco commented.

The organization plans to apply the grant funds toward programs for the distribution of food boxes and supermarket gift cards. Any New Jersey resident in need can apply to become a client of The Food Brigade by visiting https://foodbrigade.org/assistance.

The Food Brigade is a Partner Agency of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, and distributes food available through such government programs as the USDA's Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and New Jersey's State Food Purchase Program (SFPP).

"No child should ever have to go to bed hungry, and no one in New Jersey should have to deal with food insecurity, so long as there are resources like ours available", said DeMarco. "We plan to continue to expand our operations in 2022, so that we can reach even more people in need."

Although our primary mission is helping to feed New Jersey residents in need, on March 3 we delivered two pickup truck loads of hygiene products to the Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Ascension Church in Clifton for the Ukrainian humanitarian relief effort.

On February 28, The Food Brigade received another donation of over $3,300.00 worth of reusable grocery bags, zip-lock baggies, and produce bags, courtesy of the New Milford ShopRite supermarket, to use for our food distribution operations. Thank you to Inserra Supermarkets, Inc. for your continuing support as our partner in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey! (Pictured from left to right: Assistant Store Manager Tim Herasimtschuk, Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco, and Store Manager Jose Marroquin.)

The Food Brigade has published its Annual Report for 2021. It can be viewed/downloaded at https://foodbrigade.org/about/annual-reports.

The Food Brigade was fortunate to be the beneficiary of a recent food drive by local Starbucks shops. Here, Marisa Atuso, Store Manager of the Starbucks in Park Ridge, NJ, delivers donated food to Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade, on February 16. In addition to Park Ridge, food was also collected by the Starbucks locations in Closter and Northvale. Thank you, Starbucks and thank you, Marisa, for supporting The Food Brigade's work!

The Food Brigade is pleased to welcome a new member to its Board of Trustees! Meet Douglas Herrick, of Maywood.

Doug is a state-registered real estate appraiser with The Herrick Group, LLC. A past Maywood borough councilman deeply committed to volunteerism, Doug established the Maywood Volunteer Advisory Board and currently serves as its President. He is passionate that "volunteering bridges the political, social, and racial divide. Volunteers are the backbone that builds stronger communities."

Doug's experience includes nearly a decade with the Bergen County Community Action Program (CAP), where he ran the homeless shelter, the HeadStart feeding program, and the S.P.I.C.E. program which taught people to work in commercial kitchens (Doug himself holds an AAS degree in Culinary Arts). He has also served as President of the Rotary Club of Maywood and is currently its Executive Secretary.

Most recently, Doug is a Class of 2021 graduate of the BergenLEADS program, which focused on the problem of food insecurity as its main project. "I will always be a passionate advocate for those who are affected by food insecurity", added Doug.

As a Food Brigade Board member, Doug will chair the Fundraising, Donor Relations, & Grants Procurement Committee. "Doug’s background, knowledge, experience, and abilities speak for themselves", said Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade. "As a Board member, Doug will be a terrific asset to our organization and its operations."

The Food Brigade was honored to receive a $5,000.00 grant from the Realtors® Care Foundation of the Greater Bergen Realtors® association, at the Foundation's annual grants ceremony on December 10, 2021. The funds will support The Food Brigade's work in the fight against food insecurity in Bergen County and northern New Jersey.

Pictured: Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade; Maureen Mamunes, President of the Realtors® Care Foundation.

On December 7, 2021, Food Brigade President Karen DeMarco was honored during the annual New Jersey Realtors® Awards ceremony at the Triple Play Realtor® Convention & Trade Expo in Atlantic City. Karen is the first recipient ever to receive the "Good Neighbor" award at the State level.

DeMarco addressed the audience about the state of food insecurity in New Jersey and the work of her nonprofit, The Food Brigade Inc., and the critical role served by food pantries and food banks in New Jersey.

Read more at https://www.greaterbergenrealtors.com/news/2021/12/07/press-room/greater-bergen-realtors-good-neighbor-and-realtor-of-the-year-2021-award-winners-karen-demarco-and-frances-blakely-honored-by-nj-realtors-at-triple-play-expo-in-atlantic-city/. 

On November 24, 2021, Food Brigade President and co-founder, Karen DeMarco, was featured on the front page of The Record newspaper for her work in feeding local families dealing with food insecurity in Bergen County and northern New Jersey.

Read the story online at https://www.northjersey.com/story/life/2021/11/24/challenging-year-produces-incredible-stories-inspire/6255788001/. 

On November 17, The Food Brigade received a generous donation from Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey Inc.. Alpine is a local offshore survey company working in the renewable energy sector.  It recently joined the United National Global Compact and has started a Sustainability Initiative Committee. Thank you so much, Alpine, for supporting us in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey! (Pictured below: Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade; Kelly Stewart of Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey.)

On November 16, The Food Brigade received a donation of nearly 500 pounds of food for our pantry, in a food drive held by Dumont Girl Scout Troop 97213. Thank you to Troop Leader Kara Fraga for organizing the collection and arranging the donation! (Pictured above, l-r: Carmine DeMarco, Executive Director of The Food Brigade; Troop Leader Kara Fraga and scout parent Jackie Murray; Karen DeMarco, President of The Food Brigade.)

The Food Brigade's President, Karen DeMarco, was recently recognized with a statewide honor by the New Jersey Realtors® organization in Trenton. Selecting Karen as the first-place recipient of their 2021 Good Neighbor Award, New Jersey Realtors® said, "The volunteer efforts you have demonstrated on behalf of The Food Brigade serve as a model for both Realtors® and the community at large. You are proof that Realtors® do so much more than help buy and sell property." Karen will be honored at a ceremony at the Atlantic City Convention Center in December. New Jersey Realtors® also presented The Food Brigade with a donation of $2,500.00.

On Friday, October 15, 2021, The Food Brigade gave a presentation on food insecurity, and the importance of charitable service, to the River Dell Middle School Spanish Honor Society. In addition to their generous donation of both food and financial support, these amazing young people also prepared a taco meal in our honor!

On October 6, 2021, Greater Bergen Realtors® gave its 2021 Good Neighbor Award to The Food Brigade's President, Karen DeMarco. A Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Residential Properties in Tenafly, Karen was recognized for her "extraordinary commitments to improving the quality of life in [her] local and/or global communities through volunteer community service." In addition to the award, The Food Brigade will receive a $1,000.00 donation from GBR.

Read the article here: https://www.greaterbergenrealtors.com/news/2021/10/25/assoc.-update/greater-bergen-realtors-recently-recognized-karen-demarco-with-its-good-neighbor-of-the-year-award/. 

At the Tuesday, September 21, 2021 meeting of the Bergenfield Mayor & Council, the borough honored The Food Brigade for its work on behalf of Bergenfield's residents in need. With a proclamation in recognition of Hunger Action Month, the Mayor & Council presented The Food Brigade with a plaque "in grateful appreciation for your outstanding dedication and service to the Bergenfield Food Pantry and to our community."

Since the summer of 2020, The Food Brigade has been a supplier of food for a number of municipal food pantries, including Bergenfield, Dumont, and Elmwood Park.

On Saturday, July 10, 2021, The Food Brigade was honored to receive an award from the Peruvian Civic Association of New Jersey for our service to the Peruvian community. We were privileged to be invited to their flag raising ceremony and celebration of the 200th anniversary of Peru's independence, at Peruvian Heritage Park and Monument in Kearny, NJ.

The Food Brigade's President, Karen DeMarco, was awarded a Congressional commendation as a "Hometown Hero" by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer in Hackensack on July 9, 2021. Thank you to Congressman Gottheimer for acknowledging Karen's work on behalf of the food insecure in North Jersey.

The Food Brigade is pleased to announce that we have joined the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign to link local gardeners with neighborhood food pantries. It's a nationwide program to enable neighborhood food pantries to be easily located by local backyard gardeners wishing to share their excess garden bounty with neighbors in need.