We are happy to work with schools on food drives at any time during the school year. Some common times include:

• September for back-to-school events and in coordination with Hunger Action Month.
• October or November for Thanksgiving food drives
• January or February for Superbowl themed food drives

REPLENISH hosts our annual Spring Food Drive each year as well. Dates and time frames for the Spring School Food Drive are usually announced in January through your district Superintendent and building Principal. For questions about hosting a food drive you can reach out to Peter Ellison at peter.ellison@co.middlesex.nj.us

If you are a student or teacher interested in organizing a food drive with your school, here are some Tips for a successful drive and a healthy food donation list to help get your program started.

Your school has an opportunity to implement a variety of programs that involve and center the students.  

• Share Tables allow students to put their unwanted and unopened food in a specific area for redistribution instead of wasting it. 

• Little pantries can be opened within and around schools that house shelf stable food items to be accessed at any time. 

You can also watch this video to see how a Woodbridge elementary school is enacting change! Check out this resource page for more information and training opportunities through Rutgers.

You can also visit our Get Food Smart page and learn how you can help reduce food waste and improve food security at school and at home.

We have enhanced learning opportunities for grades K-5 and 6-12 to increase the impact of a school’s food drive or serve as standalone lessons throughout the year. Meant to both improve knowledge about the facets of food insecurity and inspire youth action, these activities are thought-provoking and enjoyable. You can also utilize our recordings of Saturday at the Food Pantry and Lulu and the Hunger Monster to teach younger students about food insecurity and to empower them to seek assistance or have empathy for others.

2025 Replenish Hunger Education K to 5

2025 Replenish Hunger Education 6 to 12

Educational Activity Guide

There are many programs in place to help students and families facing food insecurity. Along with our own Healthy Food Access Map to locate food assistance, there are programs like SUN Bucks (Summer EBT), School Breakfast, and National School Lunch which you can learn more about here.

In New Jersey there are specific programs such as Child and Adult Care Food Programs and Farm to School Programs. You can learn more at Hunger Free New Jersey or contact Lisa Pitz at Hunger Free NJ.  

Monetary donations are also accepted in the form of a check payable to: Feeding Middlesex County that can be mailed to PO Box 781, Edison, NJ 08818 or online via their website feedingmiddlesexcounty.org/donate/.  Monetary donations allow us the flexibility to purchase most needed items in large quantities at wholesale prices.