September is Hunger Action Month, a time when people from all over the country stand together to fight food insecurity and raise awareness to help those in need.
This year, TASK is facing conditions not unlike those they faced when they served their first meal in 1982.
“Current housing conditions are worse than ever. With the double wallop of a pandemic and unprecedented inflation, many people are just one issue away from hunger,” says Joyce Campbell, TASK Executive Director.
Families must contend with the fact that inflation currently costs the typical American household nearly $500 more a month. Times are also especially hard on seniors who live on fixed incomes. Many patrons say that if it weren’t for the soup kitchen, they wouldn’t eat. Others are facing impossible choices – like skipping meals so they can afford medical care and pay rent or utility bills.
Each week, TASK serves more than 8,000 hot meals at its Escher Street dining room and 33 community meal sites across the area, including places where hunger is more hidden like Princeton, NJ, and Morrisville. In addition, TASK provides patrons with basic necessities, case management services, adult education, job search assistance and creative arts classes.
Beginning Saturday, September 24th, TASK will also begin serving Saturday meals for the first time in its 40-year history. TASK would like to invite everyone from the community to join them at 72½ Escher Street in Trenton that day, between 11:00am – 1:00pm, to celebrate their 40th anniversary and enjoy a community BBQ featuring music from TASK’s band, The FunkTASKtiks, as well as family-friendly activities and more.
This Hunger Action Month, you are the key to help with this crisis. Says Campbell, “Together, we can make a difference for so many.” To learn more about what you can do, visit trentonsoupkitchen.org.
PHOTO CAP: Two children enjoy lunch with their family at TASK in July.