Hundreds of New Jersey students collected more than 250,000 pounds of food during the second annual 100-Yard Food Drive Challenge. Thousands of bright yellow donation bags stretched across Howell High School’s football field, covering it from one end to the other.
The effort began with students collecting food in their neighborhoods and expanded to include schools, businesses, families, and volunteers. It became the largest food collection ever organized by Dermer Dreams, a nonprofit group. Co-founder Dan Dermer said the students brought communities together through their work.
Members of Howell High School’s football team joined volunteers to load the bags into rented trucks. All the collected food reached 30 food banks across New Jersey to help families in need. These included Lunch Break, Fulfill, Howell Food Bank, and Open Door in Freehold.
Dan Dermer started Dermer Dreams in 2019. His wife Alyse also works with the nonprofit. They created its Neighborhood Captain Program after recognizing that high school students needed opportunities to complete community service hours. The first challenge took place at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in 2025, where students organized the event and recruited volunteers.
