Morristown's Market Street Mission Fed Thousands In Fight Against Food Insecurity

MORRISTOWN, NJ — In 2022, the Market Street Mission in Morristown, as well as its locations in Asbury Park and Newton, continued to serve the community by providing meals, overnight shelter and addiction recovery services.

The non-profit organization served 127,013 meals and provided 41,982 nights of safe shelter to members of the community and recovery program residents across its three locations.

More than 30,000 families in Morris County experience food insecurity, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Many people struggle to make ends meet and ensure that there is enough food for everyone in the household due to the ongoing rise in inflation and other economic pressures.

The Mission strives to provide for both the immediate needs of the community today and the long-term needs of a secure, hopeful future.

"In the face of higher costs due to inflation over the past year, we are able to offer our neighbors a free meal, box of groceries, or voucher for clothing or necessary furniture to help make ends meet. We are also here to provide resources and care for men struggling with addiction, a problem that continues to take a heavy toll on our country," a spokesperson for the organization said.

Another important aspect of the mission is the "Life Change Program" for addiction recovery, which is designed to provide residents with mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing as they work to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their families and communities.

Last year the mission was awarded a grant from the Atlantic Health System and Morristown Medical Center Community Advisory Board to help further their addiction recovery program for men.

This grant came at an important time, as the United States is still dealing with an opioid epidemic. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rise in overdose deaths may have peaked in March. Researchers found 110,236 people died in a single 12-month period, a new record.

Opioids, particularly synthetic opioids like fentanyl, were responsible for approximately 75 percent of these deaths. Furthermore, around 3,000 of the total overdose deaths occurred in New Jersey, according to the CDC.

"I hated everything, hated my own life, and I knew if I didn’t change something, I’d probably be dead. Coming to the Mission has helped me to find God again and better my life. It’s helped me to gain back love for people and the desire to help others. Those are beautiful things to gain. Now I have an urge to live. There are things I need to do to serve God and serve other people, and I want to share my story and show people that there is always hope. The Mission changes lives and helps you see the good in yourself, and other addicts as well. We’re not hopeless – we can be redeemed," Michael, one of the program graduates from 2022, said.

"As we begin 2023, we look forward to another year of serving our community in northern and central New Jersey with the goal of helping people change their lives for the better," the organization said.