HILLSIDE, NJ — The Community FoodBank of New Jersey concluded September’s Hunger Action Month at its warehouse headquarters in Hillside.
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, U.S. Rep. LaMonica Melver, New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, Hillside Mayor Dahlia Vertreese and Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate Mark Dinglasan were in attendance. They gave remarks and then, along with officials from the food bands and local volunteers, they worked together to pack “Senior Boxes.”
The free supplemental food boxes are provided monthly to vulnerable seniors with limited resources. CFBNJ delivers the food boxes to senior centers for distribution to neighbors in need.
The event featured produce from Fairgrown Farm, a Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement vendor located in Pennington. CFBNJ, which is the leading statewide program, uses funds from LFPA to purchase food from socially disadvantaged New Jersey farmers and producers. Following the event, the produce from Fairgrown Farm was distributed to neighbors in need.
CFBNJ President and CEO Elizabeth McCarthy said, “It’s not just getting food, it’s getting healthy food. And the education to understand which foods are the healthiest. General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin has always been a champion for events we care about.” She continued to speak about Coughlin’s involvement with the Summer EBT program. EBT is an electronic card, worth $120 for every eligible child’s home to purchase food at participating retailers.
Coughlin said, “It’s truly a privilege to come together with front line people who are making a difference in people’s lives.”
Coleman said, “This is an amazing facility. Work is being done. In a state as wealthy as this, we should never have insufficiencies on this level.”
Vertreese said, “It’s nice to know we have partners in forms of government. The Community FoodBank is one of those partners.”
Nicole Williams-Meltzer, assistant director communications and public relations for The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, said CFBNJ sends out more than 90 million meals every year. “We serve 11 counties directly, including Union,” she said. “We rely on volunteers to get the work done.”
Volunteers pack products, which includes healthy foods, such as pasta, kidney beans, peanut butter, apple sauce, peaches, diced tomatoes, green beans and juice. “Senior centers and assisted living facilities require heart-healthy, low sodium, for seniors with different health needs,” said Williams-Meltzer.
Thirty-one percent of the food is fresh produce. They also have a cooked meal service for those who can’t cook for themselves.
According to Williams-Meltzer, the CFBNJ warehouse is the size of five football fields. Next year will be their 50th year. “It’s very exciting,” she said.
CFBNJ is the largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization in the state of New Jersey and is the lead source of nourishing food for 800 food pantries in the state.
For more information and to learn about volunteer opportunities, visit: https://cfbnj.org/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta