By Zara Syed ‘27, Feature Staff Writer

In 2022, 391,000 Essex County citizens were served through MENDs programs.

Food insecurity is a term that we hear time and time again— at morning meetings when community service is mentioned, or something we read in a local newsletter. But what these brief interactions with food insecurity often fail to highlight is the proximity of this problematic issue – it is right in our backyards. Newark Academy is located in Essex County, yet many of us don’t realize that 98,170 people in Essex County are food insecure, according to MEND Hunger Relief Networks of Essex County. With the help of our entire community, including students, steps such as engaging in volunteer work or donating to a local food pantry, can change the trajectory of this issue. 

Essex County has the highest rate of food insecurity among all counties in the state of New Jersey. The average cost of a meal in Essex County is $4.07, which many cannot afford. The population of Essex County is 854,917, and 12.3% of these people are facing food insecurity. This number is outrageously high and continues to grow rapidly. There are a multitude of factors playing a role in this skyrocketing number, but according to studies conducted by Feeding America, some of the most significant are unemployment, poverty, and income shocks. The data shows that food insecurity is a rampant issue affecting people in our own community – and it needs to be addressed now.

Fortunately, food insecurity is being relieved through efforts being taken to alleviate hunger in Essex County.  Many food pantries are operating throughout the county in Livingston, Maplewood, Irvington, East Orange, West Caldwell, Newark, Montclair, and more. One prominent program working toward tackling food insecurity is MEND (Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity), located in Essex County. Their mission is to strengthen the health of the community by increasing access to fresh and healthy food. They have a centralized location, MEND’s Fresh Food Hub, which serves as food sourcing, storage, and distribution. The organization works in partnership with other hunger relief networks, such as the Interfaith Food Pantry Network of Morris County. In 2022, 391,000 Essex County citizens were served through MENDs programs. 

MEND’s mantra, “Together, we can feed a community,” are words that students can bring to life. Members of the Newark Academy community mirror this admirable mantra in different ways. Students volunteer at food drives at the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges and engage in events that fight hunger in our own neighborhood. One important past event was the Rising Against Hunger Food Packing Event held in the Newark Academy dining hall on December 10, 2023, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. When asked about her feelings toward the imminent opportunity, 9th grader, Shining Li, said, “I think it’s a great event and cause. To be able to give back is really exciting.”

In addition to participating in school-initiated events, there are other ways that students can get involved in alleviating hunger. This can include visiting local pantries and engaging in volunteer opportunities, creating fundraisers, donating food or money to local pantries, or even just spreading the word about the growing issue. 

The proximity of food insecurity and its significant effects on people in our own neighborhood of Essex County is heart-wrenching, but it is we who hold the power to change the trajectory of this issue and help the 98,170 neighbors who need it most.