Robin Peacock, executive director of MEND, the largest food relief network in Essex County, stopped by Ironsound Studios for a discussion with Tamisha on helping the food insecure in Newark. Essex County has the highest food insecurity rate in the state at 17.1 percent. During the holidays MEND sponsors “Help-a-Family,” which started more than 30 years ago when MEND realized there would be families in its service area who would not be able to celebrate the holidays without some outside support.