Our Programs
We’re getting food to the people in Morris County who need it most
We’ve created and adopted various plans and programs to best serve those who rely on us.
Healthy Choices Marketplace
Once enrolled at IFPN, neighbors are assigned a specific date to “shop” with a volunteer at one of two “healthy choice” marketplaces, either monthly or bi-weekly.
Our marketplaces are set up like grocery stores, with full access to a variety of shelf-stable groceries, produce, meats, eggs, dairy, breads and prepared items. Guests choose the items they want in quantities based on the number of people in their household. In addition to a wide selection of healthy foods, we offer baby food and diapers, low-sodium and low-sugar items, Boost and Glucerna, as well as alternatives to meet dietary requirements.
Marketplace guests may also enroll in seasonal programs such as backpack and school supply distribution and our Thanksgiving Program.
Emergency and Supplemental Food
Our organization is committed to providing immediate food assistance to those in need, offering two distinct types of emergency bags.
Type 1
Designed for families not yet enrolled in our programs, these bags include a week’s supply of essential pantry items, such as canned goods, peanut butter, pasta, cereal, and perishables like bread, milk, and eggs. These are available on a walk-in basis at our pantries, the Office of Temporary Assistance (OTA), Zufall Clinic, and the Family Justice Center, which supports families affected by domestic violence.
Type 2
Known as a “motel bag,” these bags cater to the unique needs of individuals temporarily sheltered in motels or experiencing homelessness, supplied to partners including Hope One, Navigating Hope, and Whippany Presbyterian Church. These contain ready-to-eat items like Easy Mac, pop-top canned foods, shelf-stable milk, and sandwiches, specifically avoiding foods that require extensive preparation, perfect for those without access to a kitchen.
Free Farmers Market
We offer free Farmers Markets on the first four Fridays of each month at our main pantry location in Morris Plains. This gives our clients access to 12 or more fresh produce items which supplement the fresh produce received as part of their monthly groceries. Additionally, clients from all 3 Parsippany pantry partners can attend the free Farmers Market at St. Ann’s Church.
SUN (Senior Umbrella Nutrition) Programs
We offer several delivery programs aimed at helping seniors maintain a healthy life and remain as independent as possible. These include:
- Home Delivery Program Only for home-bound, elderly, disabled, and/or medically fragile individuals over the age of 60. Note that each client’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis during the initial phone interview
- Eligible participants choose from a menu of foods and are assigned a regular volunteer who “shops” for those individuals and delivers to their residence.
- SUN Supplemental Bags – For seniors in managed low-income senior housing units, these pre-packed bags contain senior friendly non-perishable grocery items such as cereal/oatmeal, soups, canned fish, microwaveable meals, etc. along with fresh produce and milk.
- Friendship Bag Program (recipients of hot meals via County Nutrition Program) These bags contain items that require very little preparation such as low-sugar cereal and oatmeal, pop-top fruits, tuna in pouches, peanut butter and healthy snacks.
Pantry Partner Program
Due to the shifting geography of affordable housing, Morris County is forcing many low-income working families and senior citizens further away from our food pantries. Lack of transportation makes it very difficult for them to access the same nutritious foods available to local IFPN neighbors.
Access to nutritious food such as fresh produce, protein and dairy are critical to maintaining health for low-income families and seniors. To ensure people can access these foods locally, we created the Pantry Partner Program. Our team works with a network of smaller, community-based food pantries that have shelf-stable items but not the same produce, dairy and proteins we offer at our pantries. We provide these items monthly to these pantries for distribution to their neighbors.
Healthy Snacks Program
We provide healthy snacks to places like the Dover Library and Head Start for kids, and the Our Promise drop-in center for adults experiencing homelessness.
Healthy Choices and Nutrition
Low-income families, seniors and others facing barriers to proper nutrition are at a disproportionately higher risk of developing diet-related health issues, such as obesity and learning disabilities in children, and diabetes and hypertension among adults.
Our Nutrition Educator provides daily on-site classes that teach our neighbors the link between diet and health. Guests can participate in cooking demonstrations, receive information about the health benefits of certain foods, recipes and samples as well as food safety guidance in both English and Spanish. Nutrition information is also provided to our Senior Programs and Pantry Partners.
