How sweet it is: Highland Park honey bees donate honey to soup kitchen.
Highland Park beekeepers harvested enough honey to donate approximately 40 pounds of the sweet food to Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen. “This program is part of our efforts to live truly sustainable lives in Highland Park,” said Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler.
Bee keepers Udi Shorr and his team manage two beehives, which are housed at the Eugene Young Environmental Center on River Road. The bees have a flying radius of two-to-five miles when they gather nectar. This means the honey they make originates from blossoming flowers and trees throughout the borough, making it truly “Highland Park Honey.”
The honey is harvested in late July, using a high-capacity centrifuge to spin and extract the honey from the frames of honeycomb. The machine is provided free of charge by Cynthia Werts, president of the Raritan Valley Beekeeping Association. The honey is donated exclusively to Elijah’s Promise in neighboring New Brunswick.
Elijah’s Promise uses the honey in recipes prepared by their staff and volunteer chefs. Elijah’s Promise serves more than 300 free meals each day, and their Promise Culinary School trains individuals in the culinary arts.
“Like Highland Park, Elijah’s Promise is dedicated to sustainability and serving healthy nutritious foods,” said Jim Zullo, executive director of Elijah’s Promise. “We are so thrilled to accept and use the donated honey for the production of our meals and baked products, some of which end up for sale at the OQ Coffee in Highland Park. We sincerely thank the Borough of Highland Park, and Udi Shorr for the wonderful donation and support!”
Residents are welcome to stop by the Environmental Center to watch the bees fly in and out of hives, though they generally stay inside when the temperature falls below 50 degrees. Udi Shorr and his team hold educational presentations throughout the year and at the Earth Day Celebration every April.
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Stop & Shop staff and customers in HP donate nearly $3,500 for soup kitchen.
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC announced that with the help of its customers, the 2016 Food-for-Friends, in-store campaign helped raise $275,421 to provide hunger relief to area residents. Through the sale of specially designed donation cards and fundraising events held from November 1 through November 24, 2016, Highland Park Stop & Shop associates and customers donated $3,485, which will be given to the Borough of Highland Park Food Pantry.
Together with a corporate match, Stop & Shop will donate $354,421 to local and regional food banks.
“Stop & Shop is committed to helping the communities we serve. We are grateful for our customers and associates for their continued support in making Food for Friends and our other hunger relief programs so successful.” said Cindy Carrasquilla, PR and Community Relations Manager for Stop & Shop New York Metro.
About Stop & Shop: The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs over 61,000 associates and operates 419 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children’s educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA’s Smart Way program and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com or www.facebook.com/stopandshop.
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Don’t miss shopping at the final Friday of Highland Park’s Farmers Market.
Christmas and Chanukkah shoppers will find wonderful and sustainable gifts for everyone on their list at the Friday, Dec. 16th Highland Park Farmers Market – the final day of the season for this farmer’s market, renowned throughout New Jersey. Toys, crafts, and gourmet food items will be featured, according to Main Street Highland Park Executive Director Rebecca Hersh. The market, opening at 11 a.m., is a certified Jersey Fresh farmers market, meaning that all market vendors are New Jersey-based farms and businesses.