Make a Difference with MEND!

Now in its fifth year, the Green Bean Gala (originally named for our beloved school bus-turned-mobile-pantry) is MEND's annual fundraising event to benefit 40+ Essex County food pantries and community partners working to alleviate hunger throughout Essex County.

Funds raised will:

• increase access to more high quality, culturally relevant, and wanted fresh and healthy foods and other essential items for those impacted by hunger in our community; 

• allow for greater collaboration among food pantries, nonprofit organizations, and community partners for greater impact to empower those impacted by hunger in our community; 

• ensure that those impacted by hunger in our community are connected to and aware of needed and available resources beyond food; 

• advocate for increased and improved resources where existing systems and resources are failing those impacted by hunger in our community; 

• address the root causes of hunger by learning from and prioritizing the voices of those impacted by hunger in our community; and 

• transform the traditional hunger relief model to better serve the health and nutrition needs of those impacted by hunger in our community.