The Salvation Army Plainfield Corps Offers Outreach Through Mobile Canteen Food Program
From TAPinto Plainfield:
The Salvation Army Plainfield Corps, which offers a soup kitchen three times a week at its 615 Watchung Avenue location, augmented its services over the summer with a Mobile Canteen feeding program for additional outreach to the area's homeless population. Volunteers serve food and offer hygiene products on Friday nights to ease some individuals' burden of getting through the weekend.
On this Friday, TAPinto Plainfield met up with Corps Officer Lieutenant Dontay Gibson and volunteers Richard and Anthony, and followed their mobile canteen truck to three locations: the Plainfield train station, the bridge on Watchung Avenue over the Green Brook, and library park.
Richard, who has volunteered with Save the Children in Australia, said it was his first time volunteering with the feeding program. Anthony works with the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition.
These volunteers quickly set up the table at each location to hold snacks, apples and water, as well as a large pot of hot steak and potato soup - which hit the spot on this chilly night. They also canvassed the areas to let people know food was available.
"So we get most of them from the food bank and through donations," Lt. Gibson said, when asked from where all the food and personal care items come. He said they got a grant for the hygiene products through Union County.
He noted they communicate with the police department to let them know they are out there.
According to Lt. Gibson, the program was being offered up to two times a month since other organizations also offer services on the weekend. He said they are expected to take a break in December due to other commitments, but will start the Mobile Canteen program back up in January 2022.
Donations and volunteers are welcomed. For more information, visit the website, follow them on Facebook @NJSAPlainfield, or contact Lt. Gibson at Dontay.Gibson@USE.SalvationArmy.org or by calling 908-756-2595.
Learn more at Tapinto Plainfield