Serving the community since 1984

The vast majority of all the food items used to feed the low income and needy among us through our Anti-Hunger Programs are donated.  Volunteers from faith communities, organizations, clubs, corporations and individuals helped prepare and serve the meals.  God Bless you all!

SHIP’s Galley (a soup kitchen) was established in the Fall of 1992 in response to the increase in need for an on site meal program to feed the hungry.  It is run through the efforts of faith communities and other volunteers it provides a nutritious meal to any person in need regardless of age, race, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, HIV status, residence or any other qualification.  Our "open door" policy means that anyone in need of a meal is welcome to partake of this service

SHIP “Holiday Meals” Program brings hope and a hot meal to those who need it most the lonely, the poor, the unwanted, the homeless, or the silently needy who through fear or pride are unable to reach out or ask for help they need.  The meals are provided at no cost to our guests.  Holiday meals are served on every Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.  Every year, the Holiday Meals Program nourishes the spirit for both volunteers, staff and recipients, bringing hope to the hopeless, food to the hungry, joy to the forgotten.  It leaves an indelible memory of good service for everyone involved.  Anyone in need in the Somerset County Region is welcome to join us.

SHIP's Mobile Soup Kitchen Disaster Units are part of our ongoing effort to enhance and expand the faith community and the general community’s capacity to reduce hunger and homelessness.  Volunteers and staff serve meals that provide tangible emergency relief, on an ongoing basis, to identified high-risk populations in our county.  Meals are served Monday through Friday in the evenings.  Feeding sites have been secured within target communities to be used as daily meal distribution points.  Saint Bernard Roman Catholic Church in Bridgewater serves as our "Home-Port" and point of embarkation.  We were there to serve after the Word Trade Center attack and Hurricane Floyd.

SHIP's Emergency Meal Voucher Program  Clients often come into the office asking for emergency food.  Sadly when they are asked if they had anything to eat today they respond - no!  Sometimes under other circumstances clients are unable to make it to SHIP's Galley or our Mobile Soup Kitchen during times of operation.  For these reasons and others we began providing Emergency Meal Vouchers to clients in need in 1990.  Clients are referred to a local restaurant, the Phoenix Café, in Somerville for a meal.  The client is provided with a meal voucher from SHIP.  After presenting the voucher to the hostess the guest is seated wherever they choose.  The client is treated the same as any other patron by the diner.  The client is able to choose items from the lunch or early bird menu and able to secure $8.50 worth of food items from the menu offered.

SHIP's Emergency Food Pantry  The provision of immediate services needed to stabilize household and provide for clients daily nutritional needs. People in need are provided with emergency subsistence food and other available commodities.  Donated food items we receive are distributed to those in need and to affiliated agencies and groups serving those in need.   The food pantry is also used to provide for the needs of our other Anti-Hunger Program needs.

For additional information go to the following:

SHIP's Galley

SHIP's Mobile Soup Kitchen - Disaster Unit's

SHIP's Holiday Meals Service

SHIP's Meal Vouchers

SHIP's Emergency Subsistence Packages

SHIP's History of service during times of disasters

Tic-Tocks Grove

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