OUR HISTORY

Our Journey

Incorporated in 1982, the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, Inc. is a non-governmental, non-sectarian, 501(c)3 not-for-profit public benefit organization. For the past 40 years The Food Bank has been responding to the needs of the food insecure in Somerset County, New Jersey.

Marguerite Chandler - The Founder
In 1981, Marguerite Chandler, a Somerset County Resident and owner of the industrial park now known as MiddleBrook Crossroads, travels to Calcutta (now Kolkata) as an international hunger organization representative. On meeting Mother Teresa in Calcutta, she tells Marguerite that she didn’t have to come to Calcutta to find hunger and said “look for hunger and you will find it in your own community”.
The Food Bank Network of Somerset County
May 6, 1982, The Food Bank Network of Somerset County was incorporated by Marguerite Chandler with the help of friends Pam Allister and Joan Halpern (who designed the logo). Karen LeMunyon was employed as the first paid Executive Director of the Food Bank. Marguerite Chandler served as President and key contributor until 1987 after which she withdrew from management of the organization. Food distribution was from the Somerville home of one of Marguerite's beneficiaries, a 78-year-old widow named Ann Ortman.
Bound Brook Branch
In 1983, Marie Scannell, the Director of the North Plainfield Welfare Department left her role and volunteered to establish a branch of the Food Bank in Bound Brook. Marie goes on to move from volunteer to Executive Director of the Food Bank.
Expansion
By 1986, The Food Bank Network expanded from just one facility in Somerville to a total of 4 including in North Plainfield, Bound Brook, South Bound Brook, and Manville.
Marie Scannell becomes Executive Director
In 1987, after Karen LeMunyon left the Food Bank, Marie Scannell moved from being a volunteer to become Executive Director of the Food Bank. Simultaneously the Food Bank obtained space for food storage in the industrial park owned and managed by Marguerite.
Move to New Expanded Location
February 16, 2021, The Food Bank moves to a new, larger, and better equipped location at 7E Easy St, Bound Brook, NJ 08805.
Our New Executive Director

Hired our new Executive Director, Steve Katz.  Steve is a retired Army Colonel and also spent many years with USAID doing overseas disaster response and humanitarian assistance

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