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HelpByState

Union County, New Jersey

Free help in Union County, New Jersey

Find a food pantry open this week
Free help from local charities, food banks, and state and federal programs. Free to use, no sign-up. Every listing shows the day we checked it.

Always freeFree to use. No sign-up, no fees, nothing to buy.
Real help, from real placesFood banks, charities, churches, and state and federal programs near you.
Checked for youEach listing shows the day we checked it, so you do not drive to a closed door.

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What do you need today?

Open now
Checking what is open today
66confirmed listings
13towns covered
50food pantries and meal programs
October 9last checked

This week

Food this week in Union County

Pick a day to see which pantries are open and when. Times come from each pantry's confirmed schedule. Tap Call to reach them.

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On the map

What is close to you

Tap a numbered circle to zoom in. Pins are for orientation only: trust the address on each card.

ESSEXHUDSONMIDDLESEXMORRISSOMERSETRICHMOND, NY UNION COUNTY ElizabethLindenWestfieldSummitPlainfieldNew ProvidenceMountainsideRahway
New Jersey
66 places

    Some safety programs do not share an address, so they are not on the map. They are listed under Safety below.

    Food pantries and meals50

    Elizabeth

    He Hears He Cares Prayer Min Int'l

    Food pantry, a Community Foodbank of New Jersey partner.

    Hours
    Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Thursday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
    Address
    87 First Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07206

    Call first. Hours come from the Community Foodbank of New Jersey map. Please call to confirm before you go.

    See all days, hours and details
    Elizabeth

    Mt. Teman Church

    Free meals, Food pantry, a Community Foodbank of New Jersey partner.

    Hours
    Free meals: Saturday, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Food pantry: Thursday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
    Address
    160 Madison Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07201

    Call first. Hours come from the Community Foodbank of New Jersey map. Please call to confirm before you go.

    See all days, hours and details
    Elizabeth

    Salvation Army, Elizabeth

    Food pantry, Free meals, a Community Foodbank of New Jersey partner.

    Hours
    Food pantry: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Free meals: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (last week of the month only)
    Address
    1005 East Jersey St, Elizabeth, NJ 07201

    Call first. Hours come from the Community Foodbank of New Jersey map, and some days vary. Please call to confirm before you go.

    See all days, hours and details
    Elizabeth

    St. Joseph Social Service Center

    Food pantry, Free meals, a Community Foodbank of New Jersey partner. Serves Elizabeth. Open to all.

    Hours
    Food pantry: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Saturday, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Free meals: Saturday, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
    Address
    118 Division Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07201

    Call first. Hours come from the Community Foodbank of New Jersey map. Please call to confirm before you go.

    See all days, hours and details

    See all 50 food listings in Union County →

    Housing7

    Health and dental2

    Recovery and mental health help2

    Veterans services2

    Safety and crisis help1

    Government offices1

    How HelpByState works

    Checked, dated and corrected by neighbors

    1. 1

      Matched to the source

      A listing goes up only after its phone and its address or hours match the organization's own page, or an official list.

    2. 2

      Dated on every card

      Each card shows the day we checked it. If sources disagree, we say call first instead of guessing.

    3. 3

      Fixed by the community

      See something wrong, or know a place we missed? Send it in. Nothing changes until we have checked it.

    Neighbors helping neighbors

    Help is closer than you think in Union County

    A volunteer hands a bag of fresh groceries to a mother holding her daughter's hand
    Free groceriesFood banks and pantries give food to anyone who needs it.
    A helper smiles as she helps an older man fill out a form
    Someone to help you applyState offices and local programs help with food stamps, bills and more.
    Kids laughing together over a free meal with a grandmother at a community center
    Meals and care for kidsFree meals, clinics and family programs, close to home.

    Questions people ask

    Where can I get free food in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed 50 places that can help in Union County: Christ Fellowship of Elizabeth (Friday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM), (908) 289-6322, call first; Elizabethport Presb. Church (Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM), (908) 351-4850, call first; Etown (Mravlag) in Elizabeth (Thursday, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM), (908) 965-2400, call first. 47 more are listed on this page. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get housing help in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed 7 places that can help in Union County: Elizabeth Housing Authority, (908) 965-2400, call first; Union County Housing Authority in Elizabeth, (732) 382-8100, call first; Plainfield Housing Authority, (908) 769-6335, call first. 4 more are listed on this page. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I find a free or low-cost clinic in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Union County: Neighborhood Health Center Plainfield, (908) 753-6401, call first; Neighborhood Health Center Elizabeth in Elizabethport, (908) 355-4459, call first. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get help with addiction or mental health in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Union County: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), 988; SAMHSA National Helpline (Open 24 hours a day, every day), (800) 662-4357. If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get help with veterans benefits in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Union County: Veterans Crisis Line (Open 24 hours a day, every day), 988; VA national phone lines (Benefits line, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern), (800) 827-1000. A veteran in crisis can call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.

    Where can I get free legal help in Union County, New Jersey?

    We have confirmed one place that can help in Union County: Central Jersey Legal Services, (732) 249-7600. Please call first to confirm. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Is HelpByState free to use?

    Yes. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay. Every listing is free, and so is adding or correcting one.

    Why do some listings say call first?

    Church and community pantries often change days, move, or close for a holiday. When the sources we checked disagree, or an organization does not publish its hours, we say so instead of guessing. A quick call saves a trip.

    I run a pantry or a program. How do I get listed or fix our hours?

    Use the Add a listing or Suggest an update form. We confirm it against your own page or contact you, then change the listing. It is free.

    Is this the same as 2-1-1?

    No. 2-1-1 is a statewide phone line and database run by the state network. HelpByState is an independent, county-by-county directory that shows the date each listing was checked. If you want to talk to a person, dial 2-1-1.

    Where do the hours and phone numbers come from?

    From each organization's own website or page, official sources such as housing authority and WIC clinic lists, and the public Find Food map of the local food bank. We list the source on every card.

    Something missing, or out of date?

    If you run a pantry or program, or you saw a listing that is wrong, tell us. We check every message against the organization's own page before anything changes.