Hundreds of students across New Jersey collected more than 250,000 pounds of food in the second annual 100-Yard Food Drive Challenge. Thousands of yellow donation bags stretched across Howell High School’s American football field, marking the largest collection in the history of the non-profit organisation Dermer Dreams.
What began with students gathering donations in their neighbourhoods developed into a collaborative effort involving schools, businesses, families and volunteers. Howell High School’s football team helped load the bags onto hired trucks for distribution. All the food has since reached 30 food banks serving families across the state, with partners including Lunch Break, Fulfill, Howell Food Bank and Open Door in Freehold.
The initiative builds on the inaugural challenge, held in 2025 at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. Students organised that event and recruited volunteers, developing leadership skills through their involvement. Co-founder Dan Dermer described the collections as both a way to address hunger and an opportunity to encourage young people to take action.
Dermer established Dermer Dreams in 2019 after moving to New Jersey from New York City. His wife Alyse also works with the nonprofit. Recognising that high school students were seeking opportunities to fulfil community service requirements, they launched the organisation’s Neighbourhood Captain Programme. Dermer has spent more than a decade working with students to tackle hunger while also serving as chief executive of Dermer Management, a company managing properties in Manhattan.
