Help a Neighbor in Need: Adopt-a-Family this Holiday Season

(For Immediate Release – Somerset County, NJ): In A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ beloved character Fred famously states, “But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time…as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.”

Now, in Somerset County, we have never been a population of “shut-up hearts.” Rather, we have always been a diverse population of residents who open their hearts freely to support our friends and neighbors. We are asking our residents to open their hearts once again – as you all have done for many years and for many countless families – to help feed our neighbors in need both this Thanksgiving and throughout the winter holidays.

“Somerset County’s Adopt-A-Family program has been helping feed families in need during the Thanksgiving holidays for 15 years now,” said Commissioner Elizabeth Graner. “This year, we are expanding the program to help individuals and families celebrate not only Thanksgiving but all the winter holiday celebrations that make the upcoming cold months so much warmer. I am honored to make this donation, and I am grateful that I am in a position where I can do so. If you need help do not hesitate to reach out to our food distribution partners – they are terrific and always find a way to be there for those in need.”

Through a $48 donation to a participating local food bank or pantry, you can help make a neighbor’s holiday brighter. That $48 will help assure a family of 6 is provided a nutritious meal by our food bank partners. However, any donation amount will be gratefully appreciated.

To adopt-a-family for the Thanksgiving holidays, and if donating by mail, postmark your donation by Monday, November 24, 2025. To adopt-a-family for the winter holidays, and if donating by mail, postmark your donation by Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Donate to our dedicated partners:

• Feeding Hands Pantry cultivates contagious volunteerism to mobilize the community in the fight against food insecurity. Learn more or donate to Feeding Hands Pantry: https://www.feedinghandspantry.org
• The Food Bank Network of Somerset County’s mission is to distribute food and provide other basic human needs to those less fortunate in our community in a manner recognizing and advancing self-worth and human dignity. Learn more or donate to The Food Bank Network of Somerset County: https://www.somersetfoodbank.org
• The Franklin Food Bank’s mission is to support the food needs of the local community in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Learn more or donate to the Franklin Food Bank: https://franklinfoodbank.org
• The Hillsborough Community Assistance Network (C.A.N.) is here to lend a helping hand to those residents in need of temporary food assistance. Learn more or donate to C.A.N.: https://hillsboroughnj.gov/departments/social-services#CAN_Donations
• The Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP) is a faith based, interfaith and community funded, assisted and supported, grassroots organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the poor. Learn more or donate to SHIP: https://www.ship908.com/about

The Somerset County Board of County Commissioners has been sponsoring the Adopt-A-Family program since 2010, and over the past 15 years have helped, thanks to the generosity of our Somerset County residents, to raise over $300,000.

County food banks are also looking for donations of dry, shelf-stable goods, including:

• Rice (16 oz bag - white, brown, jasmine).

• Pasta or instant potatoes.

• Beans (15.5 oz - black, kidney).

• Canned protein (5-6 oz can or two 3 oz pouches - canned tuna, chicken, or salmon).

• Soup, chili, or stew (15-19 oz - canned or boxed).

• Canned vegetables or fruit (15 oz - applesauce, dried fruit).

• Cereal or oatmeal (12-18 oz or 24 oz).

• Boxed milk (32 oz).

• Crackers or rice cakes (16 oz).

• Instant coffee, tea, or cocoa.

To learn more about Somerset County, register for free e-mail alerts at somersetcountynj.gov/subscribe or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube.

About Somerset County

The County of Somerset is committed to excellence and innovation in public service, promoting the well-being of all residents and communities by providing effective, efficient, and responsive leadership.

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