NEWARK, NJ — United Community Corp. held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to introduce the UCC Cafe Mobile Feeding program at the nonprofit agency’s administrative office in Newark’s West Ward on Thursday, March 24.
UCC’s latest innovative program to address food insecurity in Newark and Essex County converted a food truck into the UCC Cafe, which will serve prepared and packaged meals directly to those in need of food assistance.
The program was made possible thanks to CSBG Cares Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Project funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and sponsorship from Amerigroup and the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey. The Community FoodBank of New Jersey provided crucial guidance and support to aid this project.
UCC also celebrated the opening of its second community refrigerator, which is located on the stoop of UCC’s administrative office at 332 S. 8th St. The community refrigerator project was made possible thanks to support and funding from Amerigroup, the New Jersey Children’s Foundation, the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey, Newark Opportunity Youth Network and Partners In Health.
“I’m absolutely excited for the launch of these programs but I’m even more excited for the reaction that the community will have knowing that there are opportunities and resources close to them that are there to address their specific needs,” UCC Executive Director Craig Mainor said. “I’m excited to be able to do this, but I’m more excited to see the reaction for those who are able to benefit from this.”
The UCC Cafe operates with the flexibility to bring food directly to where and when it is needed most. Meals are cooked and prepackaged at a kitchen on 19th Avenue and delivered to the community by the truck. This service caters to UCC’s senior clients and shelter guests and will soon 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.
The community refrigerators are located directly in the community, giving residents accessibility whenever they need food. Trader Joe’s, ShopRite, Aldi, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and MEND Hunger Relief provide crucial support through donations to help both of these projects continuously serve the community consistently.
In February of 2022, The New Jersey Economic Development Authority released a list of the state’s top 50 designated community food deserts. All five wards of Newark ranked in the top eight of that list.
In response to this need, UCC introduced its first refrigerator in January at the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey’s Wolff Memorial Presbyterian in the East Ward at 106 Ann St. Since January, the community refrigerator project has served more than 6,000 meals.
“This is a beautiful day,” community ministry organizer Jerome B. Lane Jr. said on March 24. “The fact that the community refrigerator project and UCC Cafe project are officially operating makes me so happy. I could not be happier for this community and every community that is going to be positively impacted by the work that we are going to do together.”
Photos Courtesy of Courtesy of Alexis Grey/United Community Corporation
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