Dear Friend,
As you focus on protecting yourself and your family during this unprecedented time, I know that you’re also deeply concerned about the most vulnerable among us — seniors isolated in their homes for fear of COVID-19. They are highly susceptible to the virus and at great risk of hunger, especially those who were already living with limited resources before the pandemic.
At CFBNJ, every class of Food Service Training Academy students leaves having given back to the community and with the culinary and life skills needed for job success. However, this current cohort’s unconventional experience in the program has them going above and beyond the call of duty. Together, the students and the FoodBank’s Community Kitchen staff are cooking and packaging prepared meals to help struggling seniors live without fear of illness and hunger while the world works to thwart the spread of COVID-19.
CFBNJ will provide 4,000 nutritious meals to seniors in need each week, working with community partners to have them delivered.
As I look around the kitchen each day, at the containers laid out in rows on the tables, at the pots and pans bubbling on the stoves, at my students — masks, gloves, hairnets, and all — who work swiftly and with great care, I am proud of what I see.
This critically important work cannot continue without your support. Ramping up our meal preparation carries additional costs for the FoodBank, and we need your help.
On behalf of the retiree whose social security check isn’t enough, the grandmother whose loved ones are on the other side of a screen, the senior who will have nutritious meals delivered to his doorstep today – and from the bottom of my heart – thank you.
With Gratitude,
Chef Paul
P.S. Stay informed by visiting cfbnj.org and checking our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) often. If you or a loved one is in need of food or requires help applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, we are here for you.