As the historic 2025 government shutdown stretched into its third and fourth weeks in late October, families across New Jersey faced growing uncertainty about whether their SNAP benefits would arrive on time in November. Knowing that even a short delay could threaten food access, CFBNJ acted quickly — activating our internal disaster response team; convening partner pantries alongside state, county, and municipal leaders; and working hand in hand with government agencies to coordinate a response.
PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD
Through community distributions and expanded pantry support, we provided nearly 700,000 pounds of food directly to neighbors and made more than 1.3 million pounds of extra food available to pantry partners serving communities throughoutNew Jersey. CFBNJ supported 59 large-scale events across Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Somerset, and Union Counties, where neighbors received cases of fresh produce and emergency boxes full of nonperishable staples.This also included a distribution at Newark Liberty International Airport, where CFBNJ helped support more than 400 federal employees – TSA agents and air traffic controllers who were forced to work without pay.
To further assist households whose challenges were compounded by early November school closures, when kids missed free school breakfasts and lunches, we expanded the hours at our Community Assistance Pantry in Egg Harbor Township. With the help of dedicated volunteers, who gave 38% more hours of their time than during the same period the previous year, our kitchen staff prepared 1,200 family style meal kits and 14,000 sandwiches for children in need and their families.
LISTENING TO NEIGHBORS IN REAL TIME
In addition to delivering food, CFBNJ prioritized listening to get a clear picture of the effects of benefit delays – administering a survey in four languages. About 74% of neighbors reported skipping meals or eating less during the SNAP crisis, and nearly 83% reported difficulty paying for other essential expenses, like housing or utilities. These insights reinforced the essential role SNAP plays in maintaining household stability.
This was the first time in the history of the program that SNAP benefits were allowed to lapse, but CFBNJ and our statewide network stepped up to help bridge the gap – providing dignity and reassurance for thousands of New Jersey families.