A HUGE thank you to the Bloomberg work team that came to Bentley last week to help process and sort the 2,180 lbs.! of non-perishable food products and toiletries that we received from our successful food drive at ShopRite!

What do you have with ShopRite in Hillsborough + volunteers + generous shoppers?  An extremely successful non-perishables food and toiletries drive!  Thank you to ShopRite, the generous shoppers in our communities and to the volunteers of the day.  Bentley received 2,180 lbs. of non-perishable products and toiletries to stock our shelves!

Each week Bentley is blessed to receive healthy, fresh, incredible and amazing food provisions from our generous provider, Trader Joe’s.  In addition, each week we are doubly blessed to receive the most diverse array of colorful, fresh flowers and seasonal plants for distribution.  These lovely flowers and plants add such delight and bursts of color to our participant families’ lives and households.  Thank you, Trader Joe’s, for your incredible and amazing provisions each week.

We are honored to be the recipient of ShopRite Partners in Caring charitable donation. During the month of September for ShopRite Partners in Caring Hunger Action Month, ShopRite Hillsborough was one of 40 stores that raised the most fundraising donations. They were honored last week where General Mills placed two associates from each winning store on their Cheerios box.  Recognition was given to them for doing an outstanding job. Congratulations Lynette and Sebastian!  With the monies raised, each store had the opportunity to nominate a charitable organization helping in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. ShopRite Hillsborough nominated Bentley! Thank you to Wakefern, General Mills, ShopRite Partners in Caring and especially to ShopRite Hillsborough for your support and confidence in our organization.  Thank you for your generous donation.

Five members of the Peer Leadership Program at South Brunswick High School offered their helping hands at Bentley Community Services as part of the community services component of the program. They certainly did excellent work, breaking down food provisions that came in all morning into the afternoon hours. They unloaded the trucks, handling a wide range of fresh, healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables, salads, non-perishable items, frozen meats, poultry and entrees, prepped fresh flowers, re-stocked the shelves in the warehouse facility, stocked fresh breads and baked goods, and unpacked ice creams and desserts. We are thankful to them and greatly appreciate their work ethic, helping hands, dedication and enthusiasm.  What a delight to work alongside them”.

The Peer Leadership program trains selected seniors to work with small groups of freshmen to aid their transition to high school and to develop a sense of community among the diverse student body. Only 68 senior leaders are chosen each year from a field of over 300 applicants.  Throughout the year, Peer Leaders, working in male/female co-leader pairs, plan and facilitate groups of ninth graders in two formats:  small, informal discussions and Project Adventure activities.  The purposes of the discussion group sessions are to help the freshmen adjust to the new environment of the high school and to focus on typical adolescent issues.  In the Project Adventure sessions, they lead their freshmen through a sequence of group problems and group and individual physical challenges, on both low elements and on a high ropes course.  Through Project Adventure, the seniors help freshmen to develop their group problem-solving skills and increase their sense of personal confidence, as well as encouraging mutual support within the group.

Pictured in photo from left: Melissa Maurer, Sreyas Ravi, Janine Lagarenne, Nabina Park and Matt Kiely.

We thought we would like to share Olivia’s creativeness with you. The following photos of healthy, fresh, nutritious and delicious foods are 100% supplied by Bentley. How great is this? Thank you for sharing your culinary treats with us! Flowers also supplied by Bentley!

We were blessed with volunteers from Bloomberg this week to offer their helping hands in the Bentley warehouse!  They sorted fresh fruits and vegetables, packed non-perishables into boxes, restocked shelves and packed our cold storage equipment with fresh and healthy food provisions.  We thank our friends at Bloomberg for their hard work and helping hands!

At the February meeting of the South Brunswick Lions Club, Bentley Community Services was presented with a generous charitable contribution in the amount of $500 by Rev. John H. Maltby, President.  We are honored to be the recipients of this generous donation.

The Lions Club is a charitable service organization itself helping important causes and individuals in the communities.  We truly appreciate this donation that will help us as we continue our important work.

Each week, families in the Bentley program have the freedom to choose provisions and maintain decision making based on their family’s needs.  By Bentley providing nutritious, healthy and nourishing foods and basic needs products to working families in financial crisis, these households not only become food secure, but food secure with delicious, nourishing and wholesome fresh foods that they simply cannot currently afford. Good foods are in their refrigerators, freezers and household pantries eliminating the stress that is associated with food insecurity.  Crucial monies saved on these provisions are applied to reduce debts, pay monthly bills and expenses, put gas in the car in order to go to work and avoid bankruptcy, foreclosures and evictions. Each week families leave with full shopping carts with the ability to feed their families healthy foods and more each day of the week!

One of our participant family’s son just graduated from the Marine training facility in South Carolina last week.  We were honored to meet him when he came with Mom to pick up provisions for their family. Here is Matthew with his sister Chelsea.  We were so impressed with him!  He was so impressed with Bentley! Thank you for your service.