Help Our Neighbors in Newark — Help MEND Stuff the Bean With Water! – The Village Green

Since 2017, the City of Newark has failed multiple city-wide tests for lead in water. The city has since made filters available and recently supplied bottle water to up to 15,000 households impacted. As the crisis escalates, residents of Maplewood and South Orange are looking for ways to help their Newark friends, family and neighbors. Below is one effort.

From MEND Interfaith Hunger Relief Network:

Help us get bottled water to one of our Newark pantries, for distribution to the community! Stop by to “Stuff the Bean” with donated bottled water on Sunday morning, August 18, 2019, from 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at 131 Oakland Road in Maplewood, NJ.

You may also drop off water ahead of time at the residence, by leaving it by the back door or on the back porch.

We have updated the ticketing link to direct people to our donation form, in case anyone would rather make a financial donation and have our volunteers do the water shopping for you. Simply include “water drive” in the comments section of the form. Thanks!

Meeting Essential Needs With Dignity (MEND) is an interfaith hunger relief network of 19 food pantries located throughout Essex County, NJ. The MEND network includes nine pantries in Newark, three in East Orange, and seven more in Bloomfield, Irvington, Montclair, West Orange, Orange, South Orange, and Maplewood. MEND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

MEND has been providing food and support services to individuals and families in need since 1980. MEND pantries served 132,705 Essex County residents in 2018. Families and individuals facing hardship find food and encouragement in our programs. All are welcome. Nearly 50% of those served reflect the most vulnerable of our population: 38% are children, and 10% are seniors.