Making a difference
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENTS 2024 Objectives at Annual Reorganization Meeting
The Board of County Commissioners hosted their annual Reorganization Meeting on January 4, 2024. The event was held at the Middlesex College Performing Arts Center, with honored guests Governor Phil Murphy, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Congressman Frank Pallone addressing the audience. The Board selected County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios and County Commissioner Deputy Director Shanti Narra to once again serve as its director and deputy director, respectively. County Commissioners Leslie Koppel and Charles E. Tomaro, both recently reelected, took the oath of office. Narra later addressed the crowd, highlighting the County’s accomplishments over the past year and thanking the volunteers and County employees whose contributions made those achievements possible. She also shared updates on strategic investments the County has made in the areas of education, including the CIO Strategic Plan; transportation infrastructure such as the modernized New Brunswick Train Station and new North Brunswick Train Station; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (D.E.I.B.) in the County’s policies and programming; and the County’s ongoing effort to address the behavioral health crisis.
A story of community, teamwork, and the spirit of giving
Middlesex County is celebrating 30 years of REPLENISH, Nourishing Neighbors, the County’s program dedicated to fighting food insecurity. The program began in 1994 with the creation of Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services, or MCFOODS. The group’s original mission was to ensure all residents had access to healthy, nourishing food and necessities for personal care. The 30th anniversary is a testament to that mission ― and the people behind it. Through the years, community groups have collaborated with the program to host food drives, volunteer, advocate, and make monetary contributions. Beginning in a single closet in a Roosevelt Park police building and distributing supplies to 30 pantries, the program now operates out of a fully stocked, 5,000-square-feet warehouse in East Brunswick and distributes to 160 pantries. In 2021, MCFOODS changed its name to REPLENISH, representing the program’s current focus on making food more accessible, offering healthy food choices, and connecting to community resources.
REPLENISH Director Jennifer Apostol attributes the program’s success to its staff and volunteers – even in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am inspired every day by my staff and the volunteers from all the organizations we work with,” says Apostol. “Together, we faced the COVID 19 pandemic head-on and made necessary adjustments to continue serving our residents. We found new ways to source and distribute food, and provided additional information and resources related to testing and vaccinations as well as housing, utility assistance, mental health support, substance abuse support, job openings and career trainings, family, and community events and more.” For information on how to donate supplies or serve as a volunteer, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov/replenish.REPLENISH also accepts monetary donations in the form of a check payable to Feeding Middlesex County that can be mailed to PO Box 781, Edison, NJ 08818 or made online via their website feedingmiddlesexcounty.org feedingmiddlesexcounty.org .
For the 1 1th consecutive year, the Board selected County Commissioner Director Rios to serve as its director.
2024 Board of County Commissioners Reorganization of the
“Our accomplishments over the past year are deliberate and intentional, and achieved through collaboration and strategic planning — and it’s all, by design,” said Narra. “Together in the new year we look forward to continuing to make meaningful investments and ensure progress, to serve Middlesex County’s diverse community.” For a full video of the event, please visit video.middlesexcountynj.gov video.middlesexcountynj.gov.
High ights 9.4% Increase from 2022 5,439 Individu Pntr Visits
Volunteer Opportunities 74 469 Individu Vo unteers 1,012.5 Volunteer Hours Hunger Hero Event Annual Partnership with Feeding Middlesex County 125 Attendees & Rised 25,000
Speci Ho id Distributions
of Food Received and Distributed to 5.2 Mi ion Pounds 3,717 Chickens 2,130 Hams 4,908 Turkeys
Progrms Eduction & Outrech 25
Pntr Cooking Demonstrtions Programs on Food Insecurity REPLENISH Stor Time Redings nd Activities
160 Prtner Agencies
(L-R) Members of the Board of County Commissioners and Constitutional Officers pose with Haley Lopez, (center), a student at Middlesex County Magnet School, East Brunswick who sang the national anthem at the County’s annual Reorganization Meeting
Food Drives
middlesexcountynj.gov 5
4 Your Middlesex | 2024 Issue 1
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