Our Mission
Elijah’s Promise harnesses the power of food to break the cycle of poverty, alleviate hunger, and change lives.
Our Vision
We envision a community where no one goes hungry for lack of food or funds; where a good meal is a nutritious meal; where our community learns to steward natural and financial resources wisely; and where we make opportunity available to those who seek it. Food Changes Lives!
The Story of Elijah
The name Elijah’s Promise comes from a passage in the Hebrew Bible where the prophet Elijah is called by God to stay with a widow at Zarephath during a severe famine. Sojourning in a region far removed from his people in Israel, Elijah asks the widow for food and water. The widow replies by showing the prophet that she has enough food for only one final meal. Elijah “promises” the widow she will never lack for food if she shares with him. The widow feeds Elijah the last of her food, after which her jar of flour remains full amidst the current and future famine.
“Elijah’s Promise” was chosen as the name of our non-profit by three New Brunswick churches who founded our initial community soup kitchen in 1989. Today, we operate as an independent non profit and though we no longer have religious ties, we continue to work with a variety of religious organizations and spiritual groups throughout our community in efforts to end food insecurity, improve lives, and inspire change in Greater New Brunswick and Central New Jersey.
Our Values
Our values shape who we are and what we do. If you asked what compels and guides us in our work, the following things would be at the core of our identity and mission:
- Ending hunger
- Breaking the cycle of poverty
- Promoting healthy, sustainable food
- Empowering individuals through job training and opportunity
- Creating businesses that create social good
- Providing dignity and honor to those we serve
- Remembering the contributions of those who serve
- Using our natural and financial resources wisely