(RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ) -- On Monday, November 18, 2024, the Bergen County Office of Food Security, in partnership with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, distributed 90,000lbs of fresh produce to 40 food pantries from across Bergen County to support their Thanksgiving food distributions. The participating pantries received boxes of mixed produce than included potatoes, yams, lettuces, onions, apples and other items that help provide healthy side dishes on the Thanksgiving tables of thousands of families in Bergen County this year.

“We’ve seen a 26% increase in need at our food pantries in Bergen County this year, making events like today’s so much more important,” said Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Zur. “The spotlight is brighter during the Thanksgiving holiday, but I am truly grateful for the work that our food pantries do every single day to fight food insecurity in Bergen County.”

Group photo of all the volunteers

The produce distribution event was supported by dozens of volunteers from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bergen County Department of Human Services, the Bergen County Division of General Services, as well as Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, Assemblywoman Shama Hader, and Bergen County Commissioners Germaine Ortiz, Mary Amoroso, Tracy Zur and Rafael Marte.

“It was great to see so many come together from different parts of county government to be a part of this Thanksgiving produce distribution,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “Thank you to all of the volunteers who made this possible, and to the participating organizations that will assist so many this holiday season.”

Commissioners Rafael Marte, Mary Amoroso, and Tracy Zur with Commissioner Chairwoman Germaine Ortiz, and County Executive Tedesco