United Community Corporation will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to debut its UCC Cafe Mobile Food Pantry program at 332 South 8th Street, Newark, NJ 07103 on Thursday, March 24 at 10 a.m.
UCC will also be cutting the ribbon for its second community refrigerator, which was made possible thanks to the New Jersey Children’s Foundation, the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey, Newark Opportunity Youth Network and Partners In Health.
The UCC Cafe was made funded by the CSBG Cares Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Project and sponsorship from the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey.
This project also received key guidance from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
The UCC Cafe converted a food truck into the UCC Café, which will serve prepared and packaged meals directly to those facing food insecurity.
This is a project that can adapt to meet the needs of the community, help overcome the barriers of transportation encountered by low-income residents and eliminate the stigma of going to a food pantry or soup kitchen.
Meals are cooked and prepackaged at a kitchen on 19th Avenue and brought onto the truck to be delivered directly to the community.
The service caters to UCC’s senior clients and shelter guests and will be made available to partners and others in need of assistance.
The UCC Cafe looks just like a regular food truck; the only difference is that everything is free.
South 8th Street is the second and latest location for UCC and its dedicated partners’ community refrigerator project.
The refrigerator is stocked by United Community Corporation thanks to the support from Trader Joe’s, ShopRite, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and MEND Hunger Relief.
It is accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since debuting the project in January, UCC community refrigerators have helped 5,600 people.
The structure, which protects the refrigerator from the elements, was built by UCC’s YouthBuild construction students.
UCC is working with Clinton Hill Community Action and the Avon Avenue School to have a third refrigerator accessible on Avon Avenue.
WHO
United Community Corporation
Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey
New Jersey Children’s Foundation
Newark Opportunity Youth
WHAT
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for UCC Cafe Mobile Feeding Program and community refrigerator at South 8th Street in the West Ward.
WHEN
Thursday, March 24
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
WHERE
332 South 8th St.
Newark NJ 07103
PARKING
Street Parking