Asbury Park’s Move For Hunger gets $25,000 to keep helping foodbanks

Adam Lowy quit a job setting up golf tournaments across the country for Mercedes Benz to found Move For Hunger in Asbury Park, the first and only non-profit to use the relocation industry to collect non-perishable items from people who are moving and deliver them for free to food banks.

The organization was among 10 grassroots groups chosen in 2015 by the Mutual Of America Foundation for its Community Partnership Award and a $25,000 prize.

Mutual of America recently held a hometown luncheon and award presentation in Deal, Monmouth County to acknowledge the contributions of those who have helped make Move For Hunger what it is today.

"We're not going to solve hunger as a whole, but we think we can solve food waste with relocation," said Lowy.

Move For Hunger was recognized for expanding its reach in all 50 states and Canada.

"All of the 650 moving companies that we're working with today, if we shut our doors tomorrow, my hope is that they will continue to help feed their communities every day, rescuing the food that is going to waste and putting it in the hands of the people that really need it," Lowy said. He credited support from his family and team for making the operation a success.

My goal is to take the entire industry and give them a purpose. Where there are movers and food waste and food banks, it's a model, and it's about scaling the model in a way that everyone can participate and everyone can have a purpose," said Lowy.

Lowy noted that Move For Hunger doesn't get a lot of big grants and is able to raise money through supporters, partnerships and some small, local foundations, and pointed out the $25,000 prize will be put to good use.

"We're going to put those dollars to work so we can train more partners, so we can raise more awareness about the pressing issues of food waste and hunger, and we're going to feed people, that's what we like to do," Lowy said.

Lowy added Move For Hunger has fed over 5 million people. More information about the organization can be found at moveforhunger.org.