Hundreds of students from across New Jersey turned Howell High School's football field into a sea of yellow last week, collecting more than a quarter million pounds of food during the second annual 100-Yard Food Drive Challenge. The bright donation bags stretched from one end zone to the other, marking the largest food drive ever mounted by the nonprofit Dermer Dreams.
The drive, which began with students gathering food in their own neighborhoods, expanded into a statewide show of generosity that brought together schools, businesses, families, and volunteers. All of the collected food is now distributed among 30 food banks and will assist families throughout New Jersey.
Dan Dermer, Co-Founder of Dermer Dreams, told Good News Network, "These students did more than collect food: They united communities and demonstrated the power of working together."
Members of the Howell High School football team worked alongside volunteers to haul every bag to rented trucks for delivery to the nonprofit's food bank partners, among them Lunch Break, Fulfill, Howell Food Bank, and Open Door in Freehold.
Alyse Dermer, who works with the nonprofit alongside her husband Dan, told Good News Network, "Every bag represents a young person who chose to make a difference in someone's life."
Dermer Dreams was founded in 2019, after Dan Dermer, a property manager raised in New York City, relocated to New Jersey. The couple launched the organization's Neighborhood Captain Program after recognizing that high school students were struggling to locate the community service hours they needed.
This year's challenge follows the inaugural 2025 event at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, where teenagers organized the drive and recruited volunteers while building leadership skills. Dan Dermer told Good News Network, "Not only will we feed people who are food insecure, but we will inspire young students to take action and make a difference in this world."
Dan Dermer has spent more than ten years working with students toward ending hunger. He also serves as CEO of Dermer Management, Inc., a firm that oversees Manhattan properties, including co-ops, condos, and rentals.
Residents interested in supporting the organization's Garden State mission, described as "Fighting Hunger, One Bag at a Time," can visit the Dermer Dreams website or connect on social media at @DermerDreams.
