A committed supporter of both CFBNJ and Feeding America, Starbucks truly embodies its mission “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”
Earlier this year, the company donated $1.7 million to Feeding America, of which CFBNJ received $100,000, to support equitable access to nutritious food within BIPOC communities. Our work funded by this grant will be conducted in Mercer County in collaboration with Mercer Street Friends, one of CFBNJ’s partner distribution organizations.
BIPOC individuals are disproportionately likely to face hunger, with Hispanic households experiencing roughly double and Black households experiencing roughly triple the rates of food insecurity compared to white households.
The compassion of Starbucks partners (employees) makes a big difference on a local level, too. Thanks to them, CFBNJ was a proud recipient of a $10,000 Starbucks Neighborhood Grant in honor of Hunger Action Month. These awards are distributed based on which nonprofit organizations receive the most votes from Starbucks partners. CFBNJ was given the largest donation in New Jersey during this latest round of grants!
“Any time we’re able to give back, that’s something that we’re really passionate about,” said Cindy Pruss, District Manager for Northern New Jersey, attesting to the community-mindedness of Starbucks partners.
Local Starbucks partners also volunteer at CFBNJ regularly, prepping meals for kids and seniors, sorting food, creating emergency meal kits, and more. Since the start of the pandemic, they’ve volunteered more than 460 hours in our Hillside warehouse.
“What makes volunteering at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey really special is that we can see the local impact,” Cindy added. “It’s rewarding to see and celebrate what we’ve accomplished during a volunteer shift.”
Over the summer, Starbucks also held a charity softball game in Northern New Jersey, donating extra food from the event to CFBNJ.
“Providing food, funds, and time with a focus on helping underserved communities, Starbucks is a very special Visionary Impact Partner,” said CFBNJ President & CEO Carlos Rodriguez. “Their support for both CFBNJ and Feeding America’s hunger relief efforts makes a difference on the local level and in terms of the bigger picture.”