Thanksgiving giveaway highlights need to fight food insecurity year-round

ELIZABETH, N.J. (PIX11) -- When most people think about Thanksgiving dinner, a turkey with lots of side dishes usually comes to mind.

The cost of that meal can be out of reach for many families in our region, which is why the Salvation Army here in New Jersey's fourth-largest city joined with the Elizabeth Community Food Bank, and the Acme grocery store chain to make a full Thanksgiving Day meal available for nearly 100 families. 

The strength of the need for affordable food was apparent by the long line of people waiting at the gate of the Salvation Army Elizabeth headquarters. They showed up early, at the building on Route 9 and East Jersey Street, and waited. 

Then, right on time at 1 p.m. on Monday, the gate opened to the headquarters' rear parking lot, and local residents filed in. Their line was orderly, and snaked across most of the lot, to a box truck loaded with the holiday ingredients:  turkeys, as well as boxes filled with green beans, cranberry sauce, and seven other sides to go with the meal. 

Each family who signed up to wait in line ended up receiving one bird and one box. That's basically an $80 gift to each of the 92 families who'd signed up to receive it.

Brenda Nieves was one of the recipients.

"It's great to share with families, and with people that they try to help," she said. "It's really good."

Irina Chaplyk, another local resident, said that she was grateful. "They give to us some food on the table for Thanksgiving if we [can't] afford it," she said. 

Each make-at-home meal was the result of a combined effort by the Salvation Army, the Community Food Bank, and Acme Supermarkets. While it will make the Thanksgiving holiday for hundreds of people more gratifying, the need to ensure food security in North- and Central Jersey is real and year-round.

"[It's] every day, every day," said Derson Reyes, a food worker at the Salvation Army, about the hunger prevention work that the organization does.  

The Elizabeth Salvation Army headquarters has a variety of food programs, including a soup kitchen 10 days a month, and a food pantry for 10 other days monthly. 

As the commanding officer of the Elizabeth headquarters, Capt. Walter Droz coordinates the food programs firsthand. 

"We're finding families that used to help us are now coming for help," Droz said in an interview. "[They're] two-income families," he continued. "Now they're stretching their dollar." 

The Salvation Army captain said that support for organizations like his and the Community Food Pantry is vital for reducing food insecurity in the community, year-round. 

It also helps to feed hungry people at holiday time, which is greatly appreciated by local residents like Enocer St. Pierre, who'd picked up a Thanksgiving dinner from the Salvation Army on Monday. 

"It makes everybody happy," she said about the giveaway. "A lot of food."