Did you know that 1 in 5 children in NJ is food insecure? With COVID-19, lack of in-person school, and job loss, the number of New Jersey families without food has risen by an estimated 56 percent – higher than the national average, more than 10 percentage points than New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. And the staggering numbers don’t stop there—more than 1.2 million people in the Garden State are food insecure, and more is predicted as the pandemic drags on. How can you help? By donating to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) or attending their virtual Fifth Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon to help those in need on Friday, March 5th. During the event, you’ll learn more about this growing crisis and what you can do to help. The event will be moderated by Michelle Charlesworth, WABC anchor, and feature guest speakers, First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Murphy and Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America.
featured photo via @cfbnj
Why your help is needed
Food insecurity can look like a senior choosing between medicine or buying food or a parent skipping a meal to feed their child. And it doesn’t discriminate: Hunger is everywhere, from the poorest neighborhoods to the most affluent. What’s more, when someone faces hunger, it poses health risks both physically and mentally. And with the ongoing pandemic, these risks are going to rise: Feeding America is projecting the child food insecurity rate will increase 75 percent in New Jersey, with an additional 165,000 children experiencing food insecurity. Your support is crucial—especially this year—to help diminish these growing numbers.
Here’s how to help out
One of the biggest ways to help out is to purchase a ticket to the Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon—the cost of the ticket goes directly to CFBNJ and will provide 750 meals for a New Jersey neighbor. You can learn about what’s happening, how CFBNJ is helping, and other ways to donate and volunteer. Because there are no food and beverage costs this year, the money raised will help support CFBNJ’s mission to provide food, help, and hope to NJ families and children. Can’t attend the luncheon? You can help out by donating. No matter how small, any donation helps—$1 donation equals 3 meals for a family. Let’s all join together to fight hunger—if there was ever a time to help out your neighbor and other families, this is it.
