Burlington County Providing Food, COVID Vaccines To Those In Need

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — Burlington County will host a food distribution and COVID-19 vaccination event Wednesday to help families that are still struggling from the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced.

Food will be distributed in the parking lot of the Burlington County Institute of Technology’s Westampton Campus, located off Woodlane Road in Westampton, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Families that are eligible will receive free groceries, meals and produce on a first come, first served basis while supplies last during the event.

The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines will also be available for anyone who remains unvaccinated, officials said.

During an event in June, food was distributed to more than 300 households, according to Burlington County officials.

“Food insecurity often remained hidden before COVID-19, but the pandemic has brought to light just how deep and widespread a problem hunger really is,” Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson said. “While our economy has greatly improved since last year, we know the pandemic is not yet over and many families continue to earn less or struggle financially and require assistance, so our County continues to partner with the Food Bank of South Jersey to provide those in need with some basic necessities.”

As of Monday, more than 255,000 Burlington County residents have been fully vaccinated, amounting to about 65 percent of the county’s population of persons 12 and older who are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine, according to officials.

More than 39,000 county residents have become infected with the virus since the pandemic’s start, including more than 900 since Aug. 1, officials said.

“The Delta variant is fueling another surge in COVID-19 cases, both here in Burlington County and across the nation,” Hopson said. “The best defense is the vaccine, so we’re making it available in as many locations as possible, and we’re urging anyone still unvaccinated to get the shot. Since the pandemic’s start, our county has made it our top priority to safeguard our residents as much as possible and get them all the help we can muster. We created a COVID-19 testing program and distributed protective equipment when those were in short-supply. Now we’re making vaccine accessible throughout the county, and we’re continuing to give out groceries and meals to households in need. We won’t stop until the virus is eradicated and all Burlington County families have recovered.”