Food donations needed for those hungry for democracy Township residents urged to donate canned goods when they come to vote BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - Township officials remind residents of the Cast a Can When You Cast Your Vote food drive for the Nov. 6 election. Mayor John E. McCormac and Superintendent of Schools Vincent Smith along with the senior classes of Colonia, Woodbridge and John F. Kennedy high schools kicked off the drive in front of Colonia High School on Oct. 26. The students held a banner displaying the 'Cast a Can When You Cast Your Vote' phrase, which was donated by Colonia High School and AXA Equitable. The students will continue to advertise the program through lawn signs, banners, posters, fliers and a commercial produced for the local township station, TV-35. In March, Colonia High School teacher Joyce Brown brought the idea of the Election Day food drive to the attention of the township and worked with the township's We Feed committee and the Board of Elections to make the program a reality. Students from all three high schools will coordinate the food drive with the Board of Elections and town hall to place drop-off containers at more than 60 polling locations throughout the township. The voting station at Iselin Middle School on Woodruff Street in Iselin for the November election has been moved from the gymnasium to the cafeteria. The students will then collect the containers at the close of elections and take the food to the township Health Center, where it will be sorted and distributed to food pantries. The Cast a Can When You Cast Your Vote food drive will be in place for all elections. More than 14 million American families - 11.9 percent of all U.S. households - are at some time during the year unable to purchase, enough food for their family, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report. The food items will be distributed to needy Woodbridge Township families and individuals through the following food pantries: Heaven's Helpers Pantry in Woodbridge, the First Presbyterian Church in Iselin, Trinity Episcopal Church in Woodbridge, the Metro Park Assembly of God in Iselin, First Presbyterian Church in Woodbridge, St. James Roman Catholic Church in Woodbridge, First Presbyterian Church of Avenel, First Congregational Church- Women of Faith in Woodbridge, St. Cecelia Roman Catholic Church in Iselin, and Elijah's Bread Food Pantry in Woodbridge. Keeping food banks stocked throughout the year has been an ongoing effort for the township through various townshipsponsored events such as the Mayor's Summer Concert Series, which collected more than 40,000 pounds of nonperishable food stuffs (canned goods, pre-package and boxed foods, baby food, paper products, etc.), the Barron Arts Center Holiday Concert, and other public events. Additionally, nonperishable food can be dropped off any weekday at the township Public Health Center, 2 George Frederick Plaza, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., as well as Woodbridge Town Hall, 1 Main St.; the Woodbridge Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza; or the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main St. For more information about the Election Day food drive or the We Feed Committee, contact Peter Barcellona at (732) 855-0600, ext. 5034.