Pantries, food drives spread the spirit of Thanksgiving

Food drives and mobile pantries will be held throughout the state all month long.

The Thanksgiving tradition of a holiday centered around the harvest (yes, the football and the shopping came later) also inspires pantries and food drives to help people who are less fortunate.

The Food Bank of Delaware is hosting three drive-thru mobile pantries across Delaware throughout November.

Its first mobile pantry is Nov. 6, and the nonprofit expects to serve to up to 1,200 households.

Pre-registration is encouraged, and customers must show proof they are Delaware residents, which could be a state-issued ID, utility bill, Delaware SNAP benefits card or other documents that contain a name and Delaware address.

Here are the dates for the mobile pantries:

Sussex County

Monday, Nov. 6 starting at 10 a.m. at the Crossroad Community Church (20684 State Forest Road, Georgetown). 

Click here to register.  

Kent County

Wednesday, Nov. 8 starting at 10 a.m. at Dover Motor Speedway (1131 N. du Pont Highway, Dover).

Attendees should enter through the Leipsic Road entrance and follow signs.

Click here to register.

New Castle County

Friday, Nov. 17 starting at 10 a.m. at Delaware Park (777 Delaware Park Blvd., Stanton).

Click here to register.

Donations

The food bank is also encouraging community members to participate in DART First State’s annual Stuff the Bus holiday food drive.

Residents can donate food at the following times and locations:

• Monday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Safeway (19283 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth) and ShopRite (19 Chestnut Hill Plaza, Newark)
• Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walmart (939 N. du Pont Blvd., Milford) and Safeway (190 John Hunn Brown Road, Dover)
• Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at ShopRite of First State Plaza (1600 W. Newport Pike, Stanton)
• Thursday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rodney Square (Market Street side, Wilmington)
• Friday, Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at ShopRite of Brandywine Commons (1300 Rocky Run Parkway, Wilmington)
• Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at ShopRite of Four Seasons (700 Plaza Drive, Newark)

Jarek Rutz

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.

Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz