Have you ever had your car’s gas light come on? You panic and try to find the nearest gas station. Without fuel, you won’t reach your destination. The same goes for 42 million Americans, including nearly 1 million New Jerseyans, who struggle with hunger. Food is fuel and, without it, we can’t reach our full potential.
The good news is that hunger is solvable! But we can’t do it alone. To eliminate hunger, we must take action together. This includes volunteers, donors and advocates. Everyone has a role to play in ending hunger.
September is Hunger Action Month and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, will mobilize in an effort to end hunger. Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness.
Here are eight ways you can help end hunger in New Jersey:
1. Volunteer with your family, friends or coworkers at one of our warehouses, in the community or at an event.
2. Make a donation to the FoodBank. Every dollar provides three meals!
3. Host a food drive in your neighborhood – and/or online – and encourage donations of healthy non-perishables.
4. Register your school for Students Change Hunger, a statewide food and fund drive competition that kicks off September 18.
5. Contact your representatives to ask them to stand up for food insecure men, women and children. You can also ask our gubernatorial candidates what their plans are to address hunger and poverty in New Jersey.
6. Challenge yourself to buy food for the day with $4.19, which is the daily average budget for an individual receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) benefits.
7. Educate people about the issue of hunger in New Jersey and across the country, sharing some of these ideas for them to give back.
8. Post on social media to raise awareness about hunger. Remember to tag the FoodBank and include #HungerActionMonth (download our toolkit).