At this time REPLENISH is not onboarding new food pantries. We encourage anyone interested in food pantry work to collaborate with existing food pantries already operating in your area. It is our hope that organizations will collaborate to increase the level of service being provided to extend operating hours, provide choice in the food neighbors are offered and connections to community resources. Visit our Need Food Assistance Page to locate pantries near you.

Food Distribution

The REPLENISH Distribution Center, located in East Brunswick, is open weekday mornings for registered members of our network, including food pantries, soup kitchens and social service agencies in Middlesex County, to access foods and necessities.

We provide our partners with canned and packaged nonperishable foods as well as fresh bread, produce, frozen and dairy items. We also offer personal care, hygiene, and household items when available.

REPLENISH collaborates with the Community FoodBank of NJ, NJ Farmers Against Hunger, Feeding Middlesex County and many other local retailers, wholesalers and distributors in an effort to make more healthy, fresh and nutritious food available for food insecure Middlesex County residents. 

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey typically accepts new partners, you can check the eligibility of your pantry or soup kitchen by visiting here. Along with partnership opportunities, they offer other resources like job training, volunteer opportunities, nutrition guidance, and more.

Sometimes the food we distribute is nearing the best/used by date. It is important to understand terminology used in product dating such as sell by, use by, and best by to help reduce food waste. Most shelf-stable food items are safe for consumption well past these dates. We have compiled some useful information on product dating for your reference. 

• REPLENISH Food Date Label Help Guide (pdf)
• CFBNJ Guide on Product Dating and Product Shelf Life
• County Health Department Statement re: Product Dating
• More Meals Less Waste

Since 1983, New Jersey protects donors from liability when they handle, store, and transport items safely and donate in good faith. Below are the two Acts that protect those who donate and glean food.  

• Food Bank Good Samaritan Act (1982)
• Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (1996)

Building on a previously developed Tri-County food insecurity index in Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties, the New Jersey Statewide Food Insecurity Index was launched in June 2025 by the Trenton Health Team with support from the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate. This Index highlights the intensity of food insecurity and helps organizations make data-driven decisions about how to best meet the community’s food needs.

The Middlesex County GIS team integrated the Middlesex County Index with our Healthy Food Access Map and data from our 2024 More than Food Capacity Assessment survey which looked at pantry operational capacity. Using this data, we can identify gaps in services and make decisions to strategically develop programs and deploy resources. 

Please visit the Food Insecurity Index for more information on how the index was created and methodology behind the scores.

Explore the interactive map! Click on an area to learn more about it, including its food insecurity score and key characteristics as well as the food resources and transportation routes.