Ironbound Community Corporation Hosts Thanksgiving Food Drive, Serving Over 300 Newark Residents

On Friday, November 7, 2025, Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) in partnership with Community Foodbank of New Jersey, hosted its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive at its Down Bottom Farms, located at 377-385 Ferry Street in Newark, bringing warmth and nourishment to hundreds of local families ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

With rising grocery costs and ongoing uncertainty around SNAP benefits, community members showed up in record numbers, an estimated 340 community members, some arriving as early as 9:00 a.m.

This year’s distribution included turkeys, chickens, hams, and prepared boxes filled with complete dinner kits, ensuring every household could enjoy a holiday meal. Charles Barlow-richardson, ICC’s Programs Director, anticipated the large turnout and advised staff to arrive more than two hours earlier than planned, to help manage the crowd and streamline distribution.

The Turkey Drive followed on the heels of ICC’s 56th Annual Changemakers Cocktail Gala, held the evening prior at Avenue A, where the organization celebrated decades of service and community leadership in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood.

“ICC, if nothing else, is busy and dedicated,” said Hazel Applewhite, CEO at Ironbound Community Corporation. “We are grateful to our partners and donors for their continued generosity and commitment to making sure every home in the Ironbound has a meal this Thanksgiving.”

For 56 years, the Ironbound Community Corporation has worked to strengthen Newark’s families and neighborhoods through programs that promote social, economic, and environmental justice.

2025 has proven itself to be no exception and there is no sign of slowing down.