Skip to main content
Email this page. Print this page set small font size. set medium font size. set large font size

News & Information

Cram the Cruiser to Benefit Social Services Food Pantry

Release Date: April 11, 2019
The Police Departments, Sheriff's Office and New Jersey State Police Troopers of Sussex County are teaming up to conduct the third annual Sussex County wide Cram the Cruiser food drive to collect food donations for Sussex County residents in need of assistance.

April 13th through April 20, 2019

Cram the Cruiser Banner

The Police Departments, Sheriff's Office and New Jersey State Police Troopers of Sussex County are teaming up to conduct the third annual Sussex County wide Cram the Cruiser food drive to collect food donations for Sussex County residents in need of assistance. We are asking for the public's help in making donations of all food items to Cram the Cruisers. All donations will be provided to Sussex County's Social Services food pantry which provides food to residents in need within Sussex County and weekend meals for children involved in school lunch programs. The Social Services Food Pantry is part of the Sussex County Division of Social Services (County Welfare Office). The Food Pantry is staffed by volunteers and its mission is "To Feed People" living in Sussex County (food collected does not go out of the county). The Pantry feeds people that come into the Social Services Office for food and sends food to other county food pantries when they are in need. The Pantry also feeds weekend meals to almost 600 children each week.

Officers from every department will be volunteering their time to assist in the collection of donations of food items and will be at the following locations on April 20th from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. with cruisers to be crammed:

  • Byram - Shop-Rite Plaza
  • Franklin - Weis, Shop-Rite and Wal-Mart parking lots
  • Newton - Weis parking lot
  • Sparta - Stop And Shop parking lot
  • Vernon - Acme parking lot

Donations will be accepted at all Police Departments in Sussex County and the NJ State Police Barracks lobbies in the county 24 hours a day starting on April 13th through April 20th and at the Sussex County Sheriff's Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donations can also be dropped off at the Mohawk House Restaurant located a 3 Sparta Junction in Sparta, NJ from noon until 10 p.m. every day. Frozen items, gift cards and cash donations will all be accepted.

Food needed for the children's weekend meals:
Chicken noodle soup, canned tuna or chicken (5 oz), mac and cheese, chewy granola bars, oatmeal packets, fruit snacks, ramen noodles, meals in a can like spaghettios, ravioli, beefaroni, beef stew or chili.

Food needed for the food pantry:
Mac and Cheese, tuna or chicken in a can, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, hearty soups, pasta and pasta sauce, meals in a can, rice, instant potatoes, pancake mix and syrup, canned fruit, baby food & formula, diapers, personal hygiene products. In addition to the items listed any other food, cash or gift card donations will be accepted. Fresh and frozen turkeys and hams can also be donated.

"Cram the Cruiser" Feeds Families in Need (2018)

The Sussex County Police Departments, Sussex County Sheriff's Office and the NJ State Police Troopers of Sussex County teamed up during the last two weeks of March, 2018, to conduct the second annual Cram the Cruiser food drive. Over 40,000 pounds of food and $4,087.80 in monetary donations were collected during this event to benefit the Sussex County Division of Social Services.

The food pantry at the Division of Social Services provides food to residents in need throughout Sussex County, supports local food pantries whose shelves are often depleted due to the increasing demand for assistance, and provides Sussex County children with meals and snacks for the weekend through the Back Pack Snacks for Kids program. Cram the Cruiser has helped to feed countless individuals, children, and families in need throughout the county.

The County of Sussex, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services would like to send a warm thank you to the Sussex County Police Departments, Sussex County Sheriff's Office, NJ State Police of Sussex County, Mohawk House Restaurant, food pantry volunteers, and our generous community.

If anyone is in need of food for themselves or their family, they can stop by the Division of Social Services, located at 83 Spring Street, Newton, NJ, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Food or pet donations are accepted during these hours or special arrangements can be made for after-hours donations by calling 973-383-3600.

Cram the Cruiser March 2018

Join the Police Chiefs across the County and Cram the Cruisers to benefit Sussex County Food Pantry

Municipal police Departments, the Sussex County Sheriff's Office and New Jersey State Police Troopers of Sussex County teamed up for the first part of the annual county-wide "Cram the Cruiser" food drive on March 24 to collect food donations for Sussex County residents.

On Monday, police and sheriff's officers and state troopers delivered collected food to the Sussex County Division of Social Services food pantry at 83 Spring Street.


Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Image from Cram the Cruiser Food Drive

Cram the Cruiser April 2017

Over 45,000 Pounds of Food Collected

Municipal police Departments, the Sussex County Sheriff's Office and New Jersey State Police Troopers of Sussex County teamed up for the first annual county-wide "Cram the Cruiser" food drive on April 14-15 to collect food donations for Sussex County residents. Over 45,000 pounds of food and $5,128 in cash and gift cards will collected. Police cruisers were set up in front of Weis, WalMart, Stop & Shop and Shop-Rite stores around the county.

On Monday, police and sheriff's officers and state troopers delivered collected food to the Sussex County Division of Social Services food pantry at 83 Spring Street.

If anyone is in need of food for themselves or their family, they can stop by the Division of Social Services, located at 83 Spring Street, Newton, NJ, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Schools that wish to obtain information about backpack weekend meals for kids can call 973-579-0559 ext. 1227.

Delivering collected foot donations
Police officers and volunteers at the Sussex County Division of Social Services Food Pantry

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations
Unloading trucks and trailers

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations
Ronetco (Shop-Rite) Donated 3 Pallets of Food

Delivering collected foot donations

Delivering collected foot donations

Byram Chief Peter Zabita, Acting Sparta Chief Neil Spidaletto, Department of Health & Human Services Administrator Carol Novrit, and volunteers
Byram Chief Peter Zabita, Acting Sparta Chief Neil Spidaletto, Department of Health & Human Services Administrator Carol Novrit, and volunteers.

Delivering collected foot donations
Thank you to Byram Chief Peter J. Zabita for organizing the 2017 Cram the Cruiser.