Dear Friends,
Someone asked me recently, in my role as Executive Director, what keeps me up at night. The honest answer is that there are many things, but most often, it’s the tension between caring for my staff and caring for a community whose needs continue to rise. It is worrisome, and it is real.
But what keeps me grounded are the people and the stories that remind me why this work matters. Last month, a group of student musicians organized and ran a benefit concert for Arm In Arm, simply because they wanted to use their gifts to support their neighbors. Every week, our partners at Yes We CAN! are out at farmers markets and supermarkets advocating for food security. And whenever we put out a call for help, there are volunteers who show up at the last minute, no questions asked, ready to serve. These moments steady me. They remind me that even in a year of rising need, rising noise, and rising uncertainty, this community continues to choose compassion and action. It’s what gives me hope.
And yet, the needs we are seeing today are unlike anything in recent memory. Last month alone, more than 6,000 neighbors visited our pantries — a 25% increase from this time last year — and we are poised to serve through more than 60,000 pantry visits and deliveries this fiscal year, up from 48,000 last year. Many are first-time visitors, including many seniors. One grandmother quietly shared this with me, “I’ve always managed, but I can’t keep up anymore.” Her story is one we are hearing more often.
Because of your support, we have made meaningful progress this year, not by growing for growth’s sake, but by rising to meet the need and aligning our structure and programs with what our community truly needs. Highlights include:
- Restructuring some of our staffing, filling key roles with intention and ensuring we have the right people in the right positions to respond to rising need with dignity and care.
- Expanding Still Standing for single mothers, walking alongside more families through our partnership with the Trenton Housing Authority, helping more single mothers to build long‑term financial resilience.
- Strengthening our Homelessness Prevention and Housing Stability services, pivoting and partnering, to help families remain safely housed as rising rents and utility costs push more households to the brink.
- Adding pantry sites in neighborhoods where need has risen, including monthly distributions at the Hamilton Library and Trenton Housing Authority, and opening one Saturday per month at Hudson for families who cannot reach us during the week.
- Preparing for the expansion of our Hudson Pantry into a Choice Pantry and Resource Hub, a long-term investment in dignity, access, and community connection for families in the food desert areas of East and West Trenton.
- Expanding our Board of Directors, engaging community members whose passions, expertise, and connections strengthen our mission.
- Deepening partnerships across Mercer County, including through the Mercer County Food Security Leaders Group, to strengthen coordination and respond more effectively as needs grow.
These steps matter. They reflect our commitment to meeting this moment with steadiness, compassion, and collaboration. And they are happening every day. Just yesterday, our partners at WorkWell were at our Mobile Pantry in Trenton, meeting with neighbors, helping connect them to workforce training and employment pathways, one example of the partnerships that can help to move families toward long‑term stability.
But the road ahead is challenging. Rising costs in housing, transportation, food, and utilities, coupled with reductions in nutrition benefits, mean that more families will need support in the months ahead. As part of the Mercer County Food Security Leaders Group, we have come together to share what we are seeing across the county and why sustained partnership is essential. I hope you will take a moment to read our collective message here.
Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in your neighbors. What allows me to rest at night is knowing this work is held by so many caring hands. Thank you for being part of a community that proves, every day, that we are better together.
With gratitude,
Maureen Hunt
Executive Director