By: Lauren T. Agnew
The Honorable Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. will present a Thanksgiving Emergency Food Distribution event to help families negatively impacted by the pandemic or facing food insecurity.
County officials said there will be 1,000 frozen turkeys and boxes of non-perishable food available on a first-come-first-served basis.
The event will be held -RAIN or SHINE- Friday, November 18, 2022, at 9 a.m. at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex Essex County Codey Arena located at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange.
“Many families are still feeling the effects of the pandemic or are facing food insecurity because of inflation and the rising costs of food and energy.
We are pleased to present this special Thanksgiving Emergency Food Distribution Event for those in dire need and to make sure all our families have something to be thankful for this year,” DiVincenzo said.
Officials said residents driving to Codey Arena should use the western entrance to the parking lot across the street from the BP gasoline station.
Left turns from Northfield Avenue into the parking lot will not be allowed. Residents waiting to enter the site should line up along Cherry Lane before turning right onto Northfield Avenue.
Residents walking to the site should come to the eastern end of the commuter parking deck. It is recommended that residents walking to the site bring a cart.
Those driving or walking are asked not to arrive at the site until 8 a.m. This is being done to allow for normal traffic flow through the area and prevent any traffic back-ups from being created.
Residents will receive a frozen turkey and an emergency food box that contains food items served during a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
Officials said only one emergency food box would be placed into a vehicle’s trunk or given to each resident who walks to the site. Buses will not be allowed to enter.
Essex County hosted over 50 food distribution events during the pandemic at sites throughout the county.
Officials estimated that over three million meals were distributed during those events.