In the aftermath of the destruction caused by Superstorm Sandy, 1199SEIU’s New Jersey Division and the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties came together to provide food to 1199 caregivers who work at Gateway Care Center in Eatontown, located in Monmouth County on New Jersey’s east coast. Many Eatontown area residents suffered the worst of the storm and were without power for more than a week.

“Most of us lost all the food we had in the refrigerator after Sandy” said Linda Tappendorf, a dietary aide and 1199SEIU delegate at Gateway. “With the holidays right around the corner, it’s been a struggle refilling. I can’t express how grateful we are that our union and the food bank helped us.”

The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties distributes food through a network of 260 programs, including soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters. Under everyday circumstances, one out of every ten people living in Monmouth and Ocean Counties are served by The Food Bank. Since Superstorm Sandy struck, the Food Bank has been actively involved in supporting those hit the hardest, partnering with relief agencies, government programs and others, like 199SEIU, involved in the recovery effort.

In addition to the event at Gateway Care Center, after the storm the Food Bank provided hot meals, prepared by emergency feeding programs for displaced residents in communities across Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Disaster kits and other critically needed items were delivered across the region.

The day-long program at Gateway supplied almost two hundred 1199 members and their families with food. Eatontown Mayor Gerry Tarantola and State Senator Jennifer Beck were on hand to greet the caregivers and help distribute food packages and boxes.