Middletown Lions Declare November ‘ALLEVIATE HUNGER MONTH’

For Immediate Release;

Middletown, N.J. - In an effort to shine a spotlight on the hunger epidemic and to alert the public to the fact that many people both locally and globally do not have enough to eat, The Middletown Lions Club has declared the month of November ‘ALLEVIATE HUNGER MONTH. The club, which is part of Lions International, the largest service organization in the world, is hosting a series of events during the month and is asking members of the community for assistance and participation.


On Saturday, November 14 beginning at 9 a.m., the Lions will host Stop Hunger Now, a meal packaging event, and will prepare between 10,000-15,000 meals to be distributed to families in need around the world. Over 80 volunteers of all ages are participating along with several churches including the Middletown United Methodist Church, the Middletown Reformed Church, and Christ Episcopal Church, Middletown. Stop Hunger Now is an international organization dedicated to eradicating hunger through the preparation and distribution of simple but nutritious meals. The event will be held at the Middletown United Methodist Church, 924 Middletown-Lincroft Road, Middletown, N.J. 07748. Individuals, groups, and companies can help by sponsoring meals.

Sponsorship levels are available in increments of 100, for example, $29 for 100 meals; $58 for 200 meals; $87 for 300 meals; $116 for 400 meals; $145 for 500 meals, etc. A minimum of $2,900 in sponsorship dollars is needed to host an event. Anyone who would like to sponsor meals should make the check payable directly to Stop Hunger Now and can bring it to the event or mail it to the Middletown Lions Club, P.O. Box 75, Middletown, N.J. 07748. People may contact Lion President Beverly Bova Scarano with questions at (908) 896-1682 or by email at BeverlyBovaScarano@verizon.net.

Local businesses who have donated to the Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event are Gems Bagels and Duck Donuts. The Middletown location of Duck Donuts is owned by young entrepreneur Matthew Erickson, who is donating 5 dozen piping hot donuts for the volunteers, including the wildly popular bacon-topped and vanilla-iced donut.

The Lions will also host a free community Thanksgiving buffet on Friday, November 27 beginning at 11.30 a.m. at the Community Church in Keyport as part of the ‘Lion Tamer Fourth Friday’ Luncheon Program. Every month for the last seven years, the Lions have supported the Bayshore Lunch Program, which is headquartered at the church, by purchasing, preparing and serving a free hot lunch for people in need of food and fellowship. The Thanksgiving buffet is the 84th meal which the club will have served. The Community Church is located at 125 Division Street, Keyport, N.J. 07735.

Anyone wishing to contribute to help fund the meals can send a check payable to the Middletown Lions Club, P.O. 75, Middletown, N.J. 07748.

The club will also continue the tradition of helping to deliver holiday meals to the needy in conjunction with Middletown Helps Its Own, an organization that provides complete holiday ‘meals in a box’ to Middletown residents in need.

For more information, contact Lion President Beverly Bova Scarano by telephone at (908) 896-1682 or by email at BeverlyBovaScarano@verizon.net.