Chris Jordan | Asbury Park Press
Sammy Steinlight
NEPTUNE – When Peter Criss, founding drummer of the band Kiss, visited the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune Monday, his world was rocked.
“I never knew anything like this existed in America,” Criss said. “You’re always thinking hunger is a Third World problem. We’re Americans; we’re fat; everyone looks pretty heavy to me.”
Criss, along with Q104.3-FM radio host Shelli Sonstein, visited the food bank in their roles as chairpersons of the WindMill restaurant’s summerlong 10,000 Hot Dogs anti-hunger campaign.
“These people are doing amazing stuff and my brain hurts from seeing so much of the good things going on, and I can’t believe so many people are not eating and have no food,” said Criss, a longtime Wall resident who recently was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his fellow Kiss members. “It’s ludicrous and it’s sad. After today I’ve realized how much I’ve taken things for granted.”
The food bank annually distributes more than 9 million pounds of food to more than 260 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and more. Other roles include a culinary training program, senior food programs and a mobile food pantry.