New Jersey Students Turn a Food Drive into a Statewide Celebration of Generosity
A neighborhood effort grew into a remarkable act of kindness as hundreds of New Jersey students collected more than 250,000 pounds of food for families across the state.
The students gathered the donations for Dermer Dreams’ second annual 100-Yard Food Drive Challenge at Howell High School. Schools, businesses, families and volunteers joined in, helping make it the largest food drive in the nonprofit’s history.
“These students did more than collect food: They united communities and demonstrated the power of working together,” said Dermer Dreams co-founder Dan Dermer.
Howell High School football players and other volunteers loaded the donations onto rented trucks for delivery. The food has reached 30 food banks across New Jersey, including Lunch Break, Fulfill, Howell Food Bank and Open Door in Freehold.
For Alyse Dermer, who works alongside her husband at the nonprofit, the students’ contributions carried a personal meaning. “Every bag represents a young person who chose to make a difference in someone’s life,” she said.
The challenge grew out of Dermer Dreams’ Neighborhood Captain Program, which gives high school students a way to serve their communities while gaining leadership experience. Its first event took place in 2025 at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, where teens organized the drive and recruited volunteers.
Dan hopes the students take pride not only in the food they collected, but also in what they discovered they can accomplish together. “Not only will we feed people who are food insecure, but we will inspire young students to take action and make a difference in this world,” he said.
