FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Williams, Communications & Public Relations Manager
nwilliams@cfbnj.org / 732-798-5213
NEW JERSEY’S LARGEST FOOD BANK URGENTLY NEEDS REFRIGERATION SYSTEM UPGRADES
Community FoodBank of New Jersey fundraises for critical cold storage equipment
HILLSIDE, NJ—August 4, 2022
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) is urgently seeking to replace the aging refrigeration systems in its Community Kitchen. The state’s largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization must raise $129,500 to upgrade the cold room and refrigerator cooler that play a vital role in its food delivery efforts. This amount will cover the price of the equipment, labor for installation, and necessary plumbing and electrical upgrades.
The Community Kitchen is home to CFBNJ’s Food Service Training Academy (FSTA), where students train for jobs in the food service industry. FSTA students receive marketable job skills and life skills, while gaining hands-on experience preparing healthy meals that nourish thousands of food insecure children through the organization’s Kids Cafe and Summer Nutrition programs, as well as struggling seniors. As part of CFBNJ’s strict food safety practices, these meals are stored in the cold room and refrigerator cooler until they are ready to be delivered.
About 200,000 New Jersey kids lack reliable access to nutritious food. At sites across the state, CFBNJ invests in their bright futures, working to break the cycle of poverty by providing after-school and summer meals. Seniors are also particularly vulnerable to hunger, and CFBNJ works to meet this need by distributing 5,000 low-sodium, heart-healthy meals per week to seniors in need.
“Without our essential refrigeration units, our struggling neighbors could lose access to the nutritious food they need,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “This project is absolutely vital, and we are urgently requesting the public’s generosity to help us continue preparing and delivering healthy meals to our neighbors in need.”
As the prices of gas, food, and other necessities continue to rise, more New Jersey residents are finding themselves struggling to feed their families. To support CFBNJ’s refrigeration upgrades, please visit cfbnj.org/fridge.
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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.