RISMEDIA, March 22 - The FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties has named Diane Turton, founder and president of New Jersey-based Diane Turton, Realtors, its "Humanitarian of the Year for 2004." The FoodBank, which provides food throughout the year to over 200 charities and food pantries in Monmouth and Ocean counties, is recognizing Turton's nearly two decades of generously giving back to the communities up and down the New Jersey Shore. Turton, her staff members and hundreds of the firm's sales representatives have actively supported the FoodBank and many other community projects by contributing their time, resources, expertise and energy. Trustees of the FoodBank, the organization's members, state and local officials, as well as over 300 guests will honor Turton during the "Eighth Annual Humanitarian of Year" event on March 26. The event will be held in the Robert B. Meyner Reception area at the PNC Bank Arts Center, which is located in Holmdel, New Jersey. "Helping people is one of the key missions of our business," said Turton. "We have succeeded year after year in the highly competitive residential real market by always going the extra mile to impact the community in a positive way." For many years, Turton has actively supported the FoodBank and its programs that provide food to school children and families in need. Last fall, Diane Turton, Realtors, with 22 offices in Monmouth and Ocean counties as well as two in Southeastern Florida, provided the FoodBank with a rent-free storefront on Third Avenue in Spring Lake. The storefront is a central drop-off site for food donations to the Food Bank. Throughout the winter, thousands of pounds of food including 2,000 Thanksgiving turkeys with trimmings were brought to site, which the FoodBank will continue to use on a month-to-month basis through the spring. Last summer, Turton and Father Alphonse Stephenson conducted the first beachside food drive for the FoodBank during the Festival of the Atlantic concert on July 2. The public was invited to bring non-perishable food items to the event. Father Alphonse and the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea present a free concert each Wednesday night during the summer at the Point Pleasant Inlet. Diane Turton, Realtors and other organizations sponsor the series. Turton and her company also contribute to many other community programs. For example, the firm's staff and sales representatives have volunteered hundreds of hours of their time to help the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Trenton, Habitat for Humanity, New Jersey Blood Services, Providence House, 180, Turning Lives Around and dozens of local groups and organizations including sports programs, animal shelters, youth activities and school groups. Kevin McHugh, who is chairman of the FoodBank's board of directors, said, "We selected Ms. Turton as our Humanitarian of the Year because of her many years as dedicated and supportive friend of The FoodBank and its programs. We also wanted to recognize her ongoing work with other non-profit organizations throughout New Jersey. The firm's willingness to give back to the community is outstanding example of corporate social responsibility at the local level." For more information, visit www.dianeturton.com