Free Food & Services

Free Food & Services

Find a food pantry near you and explore the free services that can help you and your family.

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Apply for Food Assistance

Apply for Food Assistance Programs

Get free help applying for Food Assistance Programs and accessing the benefits available to you and your family.

Apply For WIC 

Apply For SNAP

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Job Training

Job Training

Sign up for one of CFBNJ’s free job training programs that can prepare you for a career in the culinary or logistics industries.

 

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Healthy Recipes

Healthy Recipes

Healthy recipes, cooking videos, and tips are all here. Browse through the info provided by our Nutrition Education team to get the most out of your grocery budget without compromising on nutrition.

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Donate

Donate

Learn about all the ways to give a monetary gift, including recurring donations, planned gifts, tributes, and more to CFBNJ to lift up our neighbors.

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Volunteer

Volunteer

Explore the many opportunities to volunteer – whether that is packing food with your company, family, and friends at either our Hillside or Egg Harbor Township locations, distributing healthy food at one of our partners, or making phone calls from the comfort of your home.

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Advocate

Advocate

Take action to support our advocacy efforts that address the root causes of hunger and learn more about how CFBNJ collaborates with legislators.

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Fundraise

Fundraise

Coordinate a virtual or in-person fundraiser with friends, family, or coworkers.

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Donate Food & Goods

Donate Food & Goods

Over one-third of our food is donated by generous supporters like you. Set up a food or special product drive, join our retail food donation program, and more.

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Make a Corporate Donation

Make a Corporate Donation

Manufacturers, retailers, corporations, and small businesses can donate food, funds, and time.

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Events

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Attend a CFBNJ event to show your support and meet other like-minded supporters.

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Youth

Youth

Opportunities for youth engagement includes fundraising, food drives, and service days.

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Sign Up to Volunteer

Sign Up to Volunteer

Sign up to sort and pack food with your company, family, and friends at either our Hillside or Egg Harbor locations.

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Corporate Groups

Corporate Groups

Use your next company outing to give back to your community.

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Special Volunteer Programs

Special Volunteer Programs

View the opportunities available for regular volunteers to level up their participation at CFBNJ.

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Youth

Special Volunteer Programs

Opportunities for youth engagement includes fundraising, food drives, and service days.

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About Us

About Us

Discover how our journey began almost 50 years ago, and how we are committed to ending hunger in New Jersey.

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Our Programs

Learn about what we do to help our neighbors in need.

Learn about what we do to help our neighbors in need.

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How a FoodBank Works

How a FoodBank Works

Understand how food and hygiene supplies get from our two warehouses to your community.

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Leadership

Leadership

Meet our executive leadership team and Board of Directors.

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Annual Report & Financials

Annual Report & Financials

Get a clear picture of our finances, how our programs impact the community, and how it all ties together.

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Careers

Careers

Check out our career opportunities and don’t miss a chance to put your talents to work for a great purpose.

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News & Press

Keep up to date with the latest news about our work to end hunger.

Keep up to date with the latest news about our work to end hunger.

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Our Locations

Locations

We have locations in Hillside and Egg Harbor Township, each with their own events and volunteering opportunities.

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Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan

Explore the roadmap of the future of CFBNJ and how we plan on helping hungry neighbors going forward.

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Community FoodBank of New Jersey Mourns the Passing of its Founder, Kathleen DiChiara

Community FoodBank of New Jersey Mourns the Passing of its Founder, Kathleen DiChiara

Community FoodBank of New Jersey Mourns the Passing of its Founder, Kathleen DiChiara 1280 550 CFBNJ

State’s largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization honors a legacy of leadership and service 

HILLSIDE, NJ — October 14, 2024

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) mourns the passing of its founder, Kathleen DiChiara, who gave hope to countless people as she dared to dream of a hunger-free Garden State. Kathleen was a resident of Summit, New Jersey. She passed away on October 11 surrounded by her family. 

Kathleen DiChiara was a remarkable person and an inspiration to so many people,” said Joe Dempsey, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s Board Chair. “If you ever wonder what one person can do to have a positive impact on the lives of others, there is no greater example than Kathleen. We will miss her dearly.” 

Kathleen’s lifetime of service began in the early 1970s, when she organized the Loaves and Fishes food collection at her church in Summit. In 1975, she founded CFBNJ when she started giving out food from the back of her station wagon in downtown Newark. The organization became an incorporated nonprofit in 1982. Under Kathleen’s exemplary leadership as Executive Director until 2015, she propelled the organization towards its mission of ensuring that everyone in New Jersey – at all times – has enough to eat. Today, CFBNJ is the state’s largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization and provides enough food for more than 90 million meals annually.  

Kathleen’s compassion and dedication to helping those in need knew no bounds and extended beyond her leadership of CFBNJ. Her visionary approach focused on holistic solutions to food insecurity and poverty. She designed and implemented programs that have been replicated by food banks nationwide and also helped start the National Diaper Bank Network when she learned that food insecure families were struggling to afford diapers, as well.  

“Though I only got to meet her a handful of times, I cherished every conversation I had with Kathleen,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, CFBNJ’s current President & CEO – the fourth in the organization’s history. “It is a great honor to walk in her footsteps.”  

During her incredible life, Kathleen was recognized by three U.S. Presidents, three Governors of New Jersey, and even Pope John Paul II, among many other prestigious awards and honors. She was a 2013 inductee of the New Jersey Hall of Fame and received eight honorary doctorates from colleges and universities in New York and New Jersey.  

Kathleen will be greatly missed. Her funeral will be held on 10/26 at 9:30am at St. Teresa of Avila in Summit. Her family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations are made to CFBNJ.

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The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) is the largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization in the state, where nearly one million neighbors, including 1 in 8 children, struggle with the emptiness caused by hunger. We are the lead source of nourishing food for 800 pantries serving everyone from infants to college students to families and seniors. Our comprehensive approach addresses the root causes of hunger through food benefits and social services, job training and certification, local farm partnerships, and food policies that nurture all New Jerseyans. By providing food, help, and hope, we are building a food secure future for New Jersey. CFBNJ is a proud member of Feeding America®. 

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