FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Williams, Communications & Public Relations Lead
nwilliams@cfbnj.org / 732-798-5213
COMMUNITY FOODBANK OF NEW JERSEY REPORTS NEW STATEWIDE FOOD INSECURITY STATISTICS
IN TIME FOR HUNGER ACTION MONTH
Data describes disparities in who’s hungry in the Garden State
HILLSIDE, NJ—September 1, 2022
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), the state’s largest food bank, announced today the findings of Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study in New Jersey. Now in its twelfth year, Feeding America’s national landmark research study found once again that, locally, food insecurity exists in all 21 of New Jersey’s counties and all 12 of its congressional districts. This year’s study provides data for 2020. CFBNJ is a member of the Feeding America network of food banks.
Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. Typically, key drivers of food insecurity include unemployment, poverty, and income shocks. Recently, macroeconomic phenomena, including inflation, have also had dramatic impacts on food insecurity rates.
Most notably, the study found that in New Jersey, the rate of food insecurity among Black and Latino residents is more than five and a half times that of white residents – 17% versus 3%. Discriminatory policies and systems continue to keep certain households and communities food insecure by perpetuating racial inequities in earnings and wealth.
“We cannot provide effective and inclusive solutions to food insecurity in New Jersey without reflecting on the experiences of populations that are disproportionately affected by it,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “That’s why at CFBNJ, supporting under-resourced people and communities with equitable access to food and other resources is a high-priority area in our ongoing strategic planning process.”
The study also found that more than 650,000 New Jerseyans (1 in 13), including over 175,000 children (1 in 11), struggle with hunger. Though these numbers are down 19.75% and 12.5%, respectively, from the prior year, they do not take into account the recent surge in food insecurity caused by inflation and the benefits cliff.
Over the past several months, CFBNJ’s service numbers have surged even higher than they were during the height of the pandemic in 2020. This is largely due to rising prices and the end of pandemic-related federal safety nets, like child tax credits and expanded SNAP benefits. The Map the Meal Gap statistics provide a baseline for food insecurity in New Jersey, but hunger is on the rise right now.
September is Hunger Action Month, a time to mobilize with the Feeding America network of food banks in an effort to end hunger. This year, with food insecurity on the rise, the campaign is more important than ever before. Now in its fifteenth year, Hunger Action Month seeks to inspire people to take action and raise awareness in support of neighbors in need.
“Our struggling neighbors often face impossible choices between food and other necessities, like electricity, childcare, and medicine,” Rodriguez added. “But with the public’s support, we can help alleviate these tough decisions.”
During the month of September, people across New Jersey can join the movement by learning, committing, and speaking up about ways to end hunger:
- Give funds. Every $1 donated provides three nutritious meals.
- Give food. A food drive is a powerful way to bring together your community to make an impact.
- Give time. Volunteer to get hands-on in the fight against hunger.
- Give your voice. Advocate and spread awareness about hunger and CFBNJ’s mission.
Visit cfbnj.org to get involved.
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The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for more than 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 85 million meals through its network of more than 800 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs throughout the 15 New Jersey counties it serves. 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.
