Meeting and working with people in the community of Neptune Township “woke up a passion” for Gwendolyn O. Love, which ultimately led her to Lunch Break, a nonprofit social service organization in Red Bank, striving “to break the cycle of poverty” and “guide community members in need to self-sufficiency and healthier, more productive lifestyles.”
Love has served as executive director of Lunch Break since 2008. The role complements her previous experience as secretary for Neptune’s planning and zoning departments and her experience as a community director for a partnership between Neptune and the state’s Urban Coordinating Council, which helps communities in need of revitalization.
It was around 2000 when Love was asked to serve as the community director for the new partnership in Neptune.
“It was a five-year contract to work on a strategic plan,” she recalled. “It was a lot of community organizing, community outreach, meeting with people at their kitchen tables, voter registration, and creating programs for the youth in the community.”
After the contract ended, Love returned to her secretary role, where she had previously served for 16 years. However, she realized “it was not as fulfilling” as being out in the community. She decided to leave her role as secretary for work with the Affordable Housing Alliance in Neptune.
“The mission was wonderful,” she said of the alliance; however, the community aspect was still missing.
After two years, the executive director role opened at Lunch Break. It was just the opportunity Love was looking for and has offered her a rewarding balance.
“It’s rewarding to know you are able to help people every day,” she said, not only with a hot plate of food, but to guide people with the skills they need to lead a successful life.
As executive director, Love said it is also rewarding to see the great opportunities afforded to her staff and 2,000-plus volunteers.
“It continues to motivate me … keeps the flame going,” she said of her passion that led her to Lunch Break. “The [executive director] role has many rewards.”
A typical day for Love involves meetings with the many stakeholders that make Lunch Break possible from staff members, volunteers, donors, businesses, and other organizations.
“Without them, we would not be able to operate,” she said.
Intertwined in Love’s busy day is a trip downstairs to the dining room from her office to have a cup of coffee, or lunch with people or families who have come by for a meal.
“It’s a time to get to know the people we are helping and connect them with any staff or programs they may need,” she said, noting some people may come to them without a family unit, or some may have long-term chronic financial needs or emotional issues.
Whatever the situation is, no one is turned away, Love said.
“Sometimes we are looked at as ‘a home away from home’, “ she said, adding in addition to a nice hot meal, Lunch Break offers fellowship to its clientele.
The origins of Lunch Break date back to 1983 as a humble food pantry and soup kitchen in the basement of St. Thomas Episcopal Church organized by Norma Todd and community leaders to alleviate hunger.
It has since flourished into a resource hub and Life Skills Center to help those living in Monmouth County and beyond achieve financial stability as a means toward self-sufficiency. Governed by a leadership team, including the Board of Trustees and Love, the organization relies on its network of volunteers, as well as community, corporate and business partnerships, according to its website.
“The need is always there. … The [coronavirus] pandemic really shined a spotlight on the need,” Love said. “We saw people who we never had because people could not work.”
During the pandemic, through generous donations they established the COVID Emergency Relief Fund, which raised $900,000. The donations were distributed to pay for utilities, car payments, cable bills, rent assistance and put people in hotels if needed.
“Our numbers are not as high as they were [at the peak of the pandemic], but they are still higher than they were before the pandemic,” Love said.
In New Jersey alone, 865,900 people, including 260,340 children, are food insecure, according to a 2021 Feeding America and Hunger Free New Jersey report. That means 1 in 10 individuals (9.6%) and 1 in 8 children (13.2%) live in homes without consistent access to adequate food.
Across Monmouth County, the rate of hunger among seniors has more than doubled since 2001, according to the National Council on Aging, a rate that is expected to increase as Baby Boomers age. About 10% of New Jersey’s older residents, some 190,000 seniors, were at risk of hunger in 2017, and these numbers are rising quickly.
In 2020, Lunch Break saw an unprecedented demand for groceries — 111% more food pickups over 2019. Same holds true for grab-and-go meals — continental breakfast and lunch served six days a week and community dinner on Friday — with a 22% increase over 2019.
This year, the need for food continues to increase as Lunch Break honors its promise to “never miss a meal,” thanks largely, in part, to the support of generous community members and dedicated volunteers.
In response to community demand, the organization launched a $12 million capital campaign in 2021 to expand the current facility – 121 Drs. James Parker Blvd. – to accommodate an increase in community demand for services. The proposed building incorporates additional space for on-site services, including the Life Skills Center, currently located in Shrewsbury, warehouse storage, administration, and donation accessibility.
In March, Lunch Break celebrated 38 years of providing food, clothing, social services, fellowship and now, life skills employment training to hundreds of families and individuals living at or below the poverty line in Monmouth County and beyond.
Mary Ann LaSardo, life skills operation manager, said they currently have 123 participants and 70 coaches.
“I work with two amazing people: Marcel, our program manager, and Eleanor, our coordinator,” she said. “Together, we help provide appropriate and relevant training which will allow our participants to acquire and maintain meaningful employment while improving future growth opportunities. We also launched a new program in partnership with Red Bank Regional (High School) called Alliance for Success. We are working with a dozen or so juniors to enhance their skills and improve their post-secondary opportunities.”
In the near future, Lunch Break will officially merge with Family Promise of Monmouth County, a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to provide families with the tools and support necessary to achieve sustainable independence.
“With two nonprofits coming together, we hope to have a greater impact [on the community],” Love said, becoming a one-stop shop for when a crisis occurs.
As part of their 38th anniversary celebration, Lunch Break officials highlighted a number of accomplishments in the past year, which included health and wellness initiatives involving nutritional meal planning and grocery options for preventive health care and accommodations for health-related dietary restrictions; homebound delivery of nutritious meals provided six days a week; Thanksgiving grab-and-go meals; and more than 100 hot meals delivered every week to displaced individuals in the Pan American Motel.
In addition, Clara’s Closet distributed clothing to more than 3,200 individuals; outreach clothing program distributed 7,175 bags of clothing to individuals throughout Monmouth County; the Suit Up program provided 95 individuals with business attire; the Backpack Program ensured that 725 children in need had school supplies; annual Holiday Program provided gift cards for 850 families; and Womyn’s Worth – Female Mentorship Program focused on health, nutrition and wellness through virtual discussions, workshops and speakers.
For more information about Lunch Break, visit https://lunchbreak.org.
