For too many hungry children, summer is no vacation. Every year, when school lets out for the summer, hungry children oftentimes lose their only reliable source of food- school breakfasts and lunch, dinners provided at afterschool programs, and Family Packs distributed for the weekend.
In New Jersey, 1 in 10 children face this reality, and for South Jersey counties, the number almost doubles to 1 in 6 children- totaling to over 200,000 New Jersey children at risk of hunger and its health implications every day. When a child goes hungry, their full potential is hindered, and that’s why the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is here to fill the nutritional gaps that food insecure children face. And addressing Hunger as a Health Issue, CFBNJ will continue to prioritize sourcing and allocating fresh produce and healthy nutritious meals through our child nutrition programs, ensuring healthy physical, cognitive, and social development for all New Jersey children.
“We noticed that children became more engaged, focused, and even playful, fostering relationships and engaging with peers on the playground, not just standing around and hanging out. They’re doing what they know they need to do and we can see that as a whole, they are having a better experience and are happy to be here,” Principal Branco from Newark Avenue School, a site for one of CFBNJ’s child nutrition programs, told us.
CHILD NUTRITION SUMMER FEEDING PROGRAMS
CFBNJ’s Child Nutrition Programs make sure that children at risk of hunger have access to nutritious meals all year long. For the summer, CFBNJ combats child hunger through our Summer Food Service Program, providing healthy and nutritious food and meals prepared by our professional staff, volunteers, and Food Service Training Academy students. This year, Summer Food Service Program meals will be serviced at over 70 sites across the state, a significant increase from 50 sites last year, and we plan to provide more meals than ever before, going beyond the 103,000 meals last year, to meet the needs of our hungry children- and we need your help!
This summer, consider giving a monetary gift to a hungry child. For just a $1, you can fight against child hunger and provide three nutritious meals, and for $5, your generosity will sustain a hungry child through the week. All summer long, you can join CFBNJ as we ensure resources and solutions reach children in underserved communities.
