Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity, Inc.

Meeting Essential Needs With Dignity (MEND) is a hunger relief network of over 20 food pantries located throughout Essex County, NJ. The MEND network includes eleven pantries in Newark, four in East Orange, and the remaining seven in Bloomfield, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Orange, South Orange, and West Orange.

Mission

MEND works to alleviate hunger by providing fresh and healthy food, funds, volunteers, and a collaborative forum for its member pantries, so that they may share ideas and resources, and make a greater impact on the communities they serve. MEND also advocates for policies to eliminate food insecurity and to improve the lives of our patrons.

Who MEND Pantries Serve

MEND pantries provide food and encouragement to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. In 2020, MEND pantries served over 397,000 Essex County residents, of whom 36% were children. Many of MEND’s patrons are the working poor - those who have jobs, but do not earn enough to consistently provide food for themselves or their families. Many others, such as seniors or the disabled, are struggling to get by on modest fixed incomes. All those in need of food are welcome.