FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Williams, Communications Manager
nwilliams@cfbnj.org / 908-355-3663 ext. 282
4TH ANNUAL WOMEN FIGHTING HUNGER LUNCHEON COMBATS COLLEGE HUNGER
Event Raises Food and Funds for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey with FEED Founder and CEO Lauren Bush
Lauren as Featured Guest Speaker
Sponsored by Kings Food Markets and PNC Bank
HILLSIDE, NJ—March 13, 2020
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) hosted its 4th Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon on Friday, March 6 at the Hilton Short Hills. With the generous event sponsorship of Kings Food Markets and PNC Bank and the support of the event Chairwomen, table sponsors, 320 attendees, and others, the CFBNJ raised more than $255,000 to fuel the futures of kids and college students in need.
In New Jersey, 1 in 3 college students struggles with hunger, hindering their abilities to succeed in the classroom and putting them at greater risk of dropping out. To combat this shocking and growing problem, CFBNJ distributes food to 14 campus pantries throughout the state, serving about 1,400 students in need each month, and works with government partners to help enact long-term solutions to college hunger.
The 4th Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon was chaired by Judy Spires, CEO of Kings Food Markets, Jill Gateman, Executive Vice President at PNC Bank, Wendy Lazarus, Debbi Shedlin, and Ashley Washington.
The luncheon began at 11 am with a volunteer hour, during which attendees packed more than 1,200 care packages of nutritious supplemental food for college students in need, which included oatmeal, applesauce, tuna, mac and cheese, soup, and protein bars. Attendees also donated healthy, low-sugar cereal, one of the most requested items at college pantries, to the event’s cereal drive. CFBNJ will distribute the care packages and the 436 pounds of cereal collected to the 14 campus pantries that it serves. Canapés during the volunteer hour were prepared by Ariane Duarte, Chef & Owner of Ariane Kitchen & Bar.
The event’s lunch and formal program featured an interview with Lauren Bush Lauren, Founder and CEO of FEED. After witnessing firsthand the realities of poverty and hunger that people are facing all over the world while traveling with the UN World Food Programme, Lauren founded FEED, a social business, as a tangible way for consumers to make an impact on childhood hunger. FEED is an impact-driven lifestyle brand, making products that help feed the children of the world by providing school meals with every purchase. Since 2007, FEED has provided nearly 112 million school meals.
“I’m excited to help generate support for the fight against hunger by sharing my firsthand experiences at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s 4th Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon,” said Lauren. “Hunger is so pervasive. It’s such a massive problem, but there’s also so much that we can do. Hunger doesn’t need to exist.”
The program was moderated by WABC-TV Eyewitness News Co-Anchor Michelle Charlesworth and also featured testimonials from Rutgers Newark’s campus pantry manager and a college student in need.
“With tight budgets and busy schedules, college students are particularly vulnerable to hunger,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “But young people can’t strive for better futures without nutritious food to propel them forward. That’s why it was so important this year for our 4th Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon to focus on raising awareness and funds to help end to college hunger in New Jersey.”
Please contact Nicole Williams, Communications & Public Relations Manager, at nwilliams@cfbnj.org or 908-355-3663 ext. 282 for additional photos and to learn more about the luncheon.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 50 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.