Addressing the “root causes” of hunger in one of the state’s most diverse regions, Middlesex County hosted its Food Insecurity and Community Partnership Summit Tuesday at Middlesex College. The event, co-hosted by the County’s Office of Business Engagement and its food distribution arm, REPLENISH, marks a strategic shift toward involving the private sector in long-term food stability.
The summit arrived at a critical juncture for the county. Recent data from the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate indicates that despite the county’s economic strengths, nearly 89,000 residents—including approximately 20,000 children—continue to face food insecurity.
The summit focused on a “shared value” model, encouraging Fortune 500 companies and local startups to integrate food security into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks. Keynote speakers, including New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, emphasized that a nourished workforce is essential for the county’s reputation as a leader in life sciences and food innovation.
Strategic pillars discussed at the summit included:
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Resilient Food Systems: Panelists from Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and Rutgers University explored how corporate-community alliances can stabilize food supplies during economic shocks.
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Agency and Sustainability: Moving beyond emergency aid to empower residents with better labeling, nutritional info, and reduced food waste.
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Data-Driven Solutions: Utilizing the newly released Middlesex County Food Security Data Chartbook to target high-need municipalities like Edison and New Brunswick.
At the heart of the county’s strategy is REPLENISH, the distribution network formerly known as MCFOODS. Now operating out of an 8,500-square-foot warehouse in East Brunswick, the program distributed over 5.1 million pounds of food in 2025 alone.
“The most effective way to achieve food security is by working with our partners,” Jennifer Apostol, director of REPLENISH said. “Our priority is to facilitate collaboration that increases our collective impact.”
County leaders stressed that while corporate partnerships are vital, individual contributions remain the backbone of the network.
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Food Donations: Non-perishable items are accepted Monday–Friday (6 a.m. – 1 p.m.) at the REPLENISH Distribution Center, 28 Kennedy Boulevard, East Brunswick.
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Monetary Gifts: Checks can be made out to “Feeding Middlesex County” (PO Box 781, Edison, NJ 08818) or via feedingmiddlesexcounty.org.
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Corporate Inquiries: Businesses looking to launch food security initiatives can connect with the Office of Business Engagement at middlesexcountynj.gov/biz.
