Asbury Park is considered a food desert by the NJEDA, with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. Mercy Center has been serving this community for nearly 40 years, and since 2021,
demand for our food pantry has skyrocketed—growing by nearly 7,000%.
Our Family Resource Center, which has provided wraparound services for over 28 years, delivered 7,320 direct services to underserved children and families last year alone. What began as a small Asbury Park nonprofit has now expanded to serve six counties across New Jersey: Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Mercer, Camden, and Essex.
At a time when poverty rates are rising and inflation makes it harder for families to keep a roof over
their heads, our services are needed more than ever. To meet this urgent demand, our mission—and
our facilities—must grow.
While the need for Mercy Center’s programs has exploded, our current buildings are outdated and inadequate. They are:
We must replace our current facilities with a larger, safer, more efficient center that brings all of our services—Food Pantry, Family Resource Center, and Administration—together under one roof. This expansion will allow us to better serve our neighbors with dignity, accessibility, and hope.
Through a $10 million capital campaign—already launched with a $5 million lead gift—Mercy Center will create an environmentally responsible, state-of the-art facility in Asbury Park. This new home will ensure food security, strengthen families, and provide a pathway out of poverty for generations to come.
Your generosity makes this vision possible.
Please consider joining us in building a brighter future
“Under One Roof.”
