State Sen. Troy Singleton is teaming up with Feeding Our Heroes to host a Burlington County Veterans Appreciation Dinner, bringing together local veterans, their families, and support organizations for an evening of recognition and resources.
The dinner will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Delran VFW Post 3020, 1125 S. Fairview Street.
The dinner will provide veterans with more than just a complimentary meal. The event serves as a resource fair, connecting attendees with essential services and support networks. Veterans will also have the opportunity to receive personalized assistance with state agencies and community organizations.
“Our veterans have given so much in service to our nation, and it’s our responsibility as a community to ensure they receive the support and recognition they’ve earned,” said Singleton, who hosted a similar dinner last year. “This dinner represents more than appreciation—it’s about creating meaningful connections between our heroes and the resources that can truly make a difference in their daily lives.
“Every veteran who walks through those doors should leave knowing they have a community that stands behind them.”
The Veterans Appreciation Dinner will provide a welcoming environment where veterans can access vital services while enjoying fellowship. Space is limited and advance registration is required. Veterans and their families can register at www.troysingleton.com/feedingheroes. For additional information, contact Nisha Ray at (856) 234-2790 or email sray@njleg.org.
Feeding Our Heroes based in Woodland Park started in 2005 with a simple idea of restoring a local food institution. Feeding Our Heroes founder Michael Guinta purchased Bayway Diner in Linden (Union County). After receiving national recognition by airing on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” hosted by restauranteur Guy Fieri, Bayway Diner expanded into Bayway Catering, according to its website.
Now occupying a corporate cafeteria and serving 900-plus workers each day, Bayway Catering realized the opportunity to give back to those who serve us in times of need by starting the food charity, Feeding Our Heroes. Since its inception in 2021, Feeding Our Heroes has fed thousands of veterans using several different programs that have supported first responders through disaster relief. Feeding Our Heroes’ mission is to celebrate our local heroes, salute our military personnel and veterans and improve awareness around food insecurity in the community.
The nonprofit organization recently kicked off 10 events from Bergen County to Burlington County to help with the cause. Guinta, in a one-on-one interview with television broadcaster Steve Adubato, explains his mission.
“I funded this myself for two years,” Guinta explained of Feeding Our Heroes, until he partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Braven Health. “They believed in what I believed in.
“We go around and we feed the veterans. Veterans are first responders so we don’t want anyone to go hungry and there’s a lot of veterans out there that serve for our freedom and they are going hungry on a daily basis.”
Fieri is doing a similar cause on the west coast and called on Guinta to be the ambassador for the cause on the east coast.
“When I do things, I do it really big,” Guinta asserted.
Statistics are jarring. Some 11% of working-age veterans live in a food-insecure household, according to Rand Corportation in 2023, 4.6% of veterans receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in New Jersey, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2021 and 33% of disabled veterans suffer from food insecurity, a higher percentage than non-disabled veterans.
Through their efforts, Feeding Our Heroes offers a Kitchen Takeover of local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Halls or churches. They have the staff, inventory, and delivery vehicles to prepare, serve, and deliver hundreds of meals to local veterans, seniors, and first responders in times of need. The nonprofit also has a disaster relief truck that is ready around the clock to bring nourishment to first responders and victims during natural disasters and times of crisis.
For more information visit https://feedingourheroes.org.
