FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Williams, Communications Manager
nwilliams@cfbnj.org / 908-355-3663 ext. 282
COMMUNITY FOODBANK OF NEW JERSEY RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR MURPHY’S FIRST STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
HILLSIDE, NJ—January 16, 2019
In Trenton yesterday, Governor Phil Murphy delivered his first State of the State address before a crowd of state lawmakers, government officials, advocates, business leaders, and lobbyists. Among his goals for the year ahead is a desire to implement measures that would create financial stability for families in need, those who work hard but still struggle to make ends meet.
“The working poor of New Jersey are no longer invisible,” the Governor said in his speech. “We see them. Their needs point to our need for a new approach.” The Governor cited creating affordable housing and increasing the minimum wage as a few ways to accomplish this change.
In October, the United Way of Northern New Jersey released its most recent ALICE report, which shows that 38.5% of households in New Jersey struggle to afford basic necessities.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is prepared to work with the Murphy Administration and excited to see changes that positively impact the lives of the state’s more than 900,000 food insecure residents, particularly the working poor. Hunger exists in every county and every town throughout New Jersey and often hides in plain sight. The faces of hunger can be unexpected—overweight and undernourished children, seniors making tough choices between essentials like medicine and food, and parents who work around the clock but still can’t make ends meet.
“Governor Murphy and the Legislative Leadership have taken important steps to combat food insecurity, like expanding SNAP to assist more college students,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “We look forward to building on our work with Governor Murphy’s Administration to improve access for neighbors in need throughout New Jersey.”
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, has also led the way recently in anti-hunger policy, proposing a series of bills, in partnership with other members of the Assembly, that would address hunger by facilitating donations, addressing food waste, and other policies critical to ensuring that all New Jersey residents are well-fed.
The Governor’s State of the State address revealed earnest intentions to help the working poor, college students, and others who are vulnerable to hunger and its effects on their health and productivity. Working hand-in-hand with government, we can strive for a food secure Garden State.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for over 40 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 47 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.