Wegman's Delivers for Food Bank Network

Early Thursday morning, a 42-foot rig pulled up to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County, with an historic 18,000 pounds of donated food inside.

"It nearly overwhelmed us," Gordon White III, president of the Food Bank's board of directors, said.

Fortunately, the store also sent about 25 volunteers to help with the unloading, sorting and storing of the donations, which proved to be crucial for the Food Bank. 

Scott Payne, store manager of the Bridgewater Wegman's, said it only took the store a few hours to fill a roster of volunteers who wanted to come help. He added the store regularly donates items nearing expiration or discontinued, and he was happy to arrange for the delivery to the Food Bank.

"This was a great opportunity—we had the food available and there's always a need for food," he said.

"We do business here in Bridgewater, so we have a responsibility to do what we can to help," Payne added.

And help, the store did: according to Marie Scannell, executive director of the Food Bank Network, the store's generous donation tops all previous drop-offs and will provide enough food and supplies for about 1,000 of the filled grocery bags the Food Bank distributes in Somerset County.

"This is kind of a surreal moment for me," she said.