At Fulfill, expansion will help increase quality, not just quantity, of food it distributes

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To be sure, the long overdue major expansion of Fulfill’s warehouse and cold storage facility in Neptune — one that will add 18,000 square feet to the group’s headquarters — will give the amazing nonprofit the space it desperately needs to serve the continually growing number of food insecure families in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

How it will help those families is even more important.

Fulfill CEO Triada Stampas said the expansion — which will break ground later this morning — will add 5,000 square feet of cold storage, which is the biggest need of an ever-changing sector.

“When Fulfill was founded in 1984, it started with boxed items that could be kept at room temperature and moved quickly,” she said.

Think of the items such as soup, pasta, canned vegetables and tuna.

It’s food, but it’s not a meal — at least, not a particularly nutritious one, Stampas said.

“Our focus has shifted in recognition of what it is that the families we serve struggle most with — protein, produce and dairy,” she said. “The healthiest food items are often the most out of reach for families on tight budgets.

“So, we prioritized those food items in our own distribution, but we weren’t built for that. This warehouse expansion is really to help us achieve a better, more healthy supply of food for the families that depend on us.”

That number continues to grow.

For the fiscal year that ended in June, Fulfill was able to distribute 18 million tons of food. That’s a million more tons than the year before — and far more than when Fulfilled first opened its doors in 2001, when it distributed 3 million tons of food.

The most current numbers — which are approximately double what Fulfill was distributing pre-pandemic — are the reason the group launched its $29 million Path to Plenty Campaign to help pay for the expansion.

The campaign, which goes public today, aims to raise $10 million for the increased cold storage (Fulfill is 80% there, Stampas said) and $19 million for not only a bigger warehouse but increased programs and initiatives (well on their way, Stampas said).

Stampas, who joined Fulfill at the end of 2021, said she has been amazed at how the impact of the pandemic hasn’t waned.

“It’s the disruption of the pandemic, which led to lost jobs or having to take a break from working, followed by inflation brought so many basic needs up in cost and out of reach,” she said.

One thing that has changed is this: Food is the first thing cut by those who are stretching their budget.

The reason? They can.

Simply put, you can’t reduce the amount you pay for rent or health care or gas. Something’s got to give, Stampas said.

“With food, you can sacrifice quality, maybe lean on cheaper stuff,” she said. “And if that doesn’t go far enough, you can sacrifice quantity and try to make do with less.”

Helping those in need – up to 150,000 people can visit in a given month – is Fulfill’s mission.

Helping those in need get quality food – not just quantity – will be easier when the expansion is complete.

Stampas is hopeful the project will be done by next fall. Weather and supply-chain issues make any timeline tough.

But this much is certain: Fulfill can always use a hand.

Whether you can offer food, money or your time, Stampas is eager to accept.

“We value every gift, whether it comes in the form of food or cash or time and talent – all of those things are needed,” she said.

Here’s how you can help. Click here.