More than 800,000 New Jersey residents struggle with hunger, according to the organization Feeding America, nearly 200,000 of them children.
The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) in Pennsauken serves that need in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties. Among its partners in the effort is State Farm Insurance, which has provided the food bank with $74,000 in funding since 2017. The company also provides FBSJ with volunteers, according to a press release.
“Right now, our region is experiencing a significant increase in need, making the generosity of our partners paramount to feeding our neighbors,” said Fred C. Wasiak, president and CEO of the food bank. “We are grateful to State Farm for their ongoing support of South Jersey and their impact in helping us change hunger.”
Over the years, State Farm agents have sorted and packed food in the pantry’s warehouse and handed out food at Hope Mobile sites across South Jersey. The mobile food pantries – set up in neighborhoods designated as food deserts – deliver food to underserved populations.
The FBSJ distributed 22.1 million pounds of healthy food in 2023, the equivalent of 18.4 million meals, according to the release. Because hunger impacts a child’s ability to learn, sleep well and develop properly, the food bank’s Kids Thrive 365 programs are directed at the young population and they include the Afterschool Snack Pack and summer meal programs.
Visit the Food Bank of South Jersey’s site for more information on the organization’s programs and resources: https://foodbanksj.org/
