Food Insecurity in New Jersey
/A message from the Social Concerns Ministry.
On March 19th, Temple Ner Tamid sponsored a panel discussion about Food Insecurity. The panel consisted of Anne Mernin, Executive Director of Toni’s Kitchen in Montclair, NJ State Senator John McKeon, and David Axelrod of CBS News as facilitator.
A few of the facts from this discussion were:
Approximately 800,000 out of 9,000,000 New Jerseyans experience food insecurity. Out of that number, approximately 225,000 are children.
1 out of 10 New Jerseyans are food insecure, many of which are the elderly who live on fixed incomes. Imagine trying to survive in our area on the 2-income social security average of less than $53,000/year! We all probably know someone who is experiencing food insecurity right now.
Food pantries, which take donations of non-perishable foods from individuals and fresh foods from corporations/grocery stores/restaurants, serve a housed population who can prepare food at their homes. Food Kitchens (like St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen in Newark, which St. Thomas the apostle supports through Beyond Cornerstone Ministry) serve prepared meals, eaten at their facility or packaged to be eaten elsewhere – so they also serve the homeless.
New Jersey had made good inroads in helping those in need; before 2025NJ received approximately $2 billion in Federal Aid; however, that aid has since been slashed, and it is not known how this massive reduction in aid will be replaced.
The SNAP program has also been reduced. Formerly recipients, aged 18-55, in good health were required to work, volunteer or be enrolled in training classes, for at least 80 hours a month. That age limit has now been increased to 65. Also, whereas children were covered under their family’s enrollment until age 18, that has now been reduced to age 14.
During Covid many children were provided with free breakfast and lunch, but that has also been eliminated from federal funding. Some School districts fund this on their own, with help from local food pantries.
While these programs have been reduced or eliminated, the following costs have risen substantially over the last few years: health care, housing, insurance, gas, groceries. Since all of these increases must be covered, the first item usually reduced or cut is food. Some ways we can all help include asking those in your small communities ( for example book clubs, family get- togethers, church gatherings) to bring a designated item of food with them which can then be donated to Toni’s Kitchen or another Food Pantry of your choice. Some other local Pantries include: St. Peter’s Haven in Clifton, Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair, Church on the Green and Bloomfield Presbyterian Church (both in Bloomfield). St. Thomas food collections are donated to St. Augustine’s and other food pantries). Most needed items are pasta, peanut butter, breakfast cereal
If you or someone you know needs help with food insecurity, please reach out to Patrice Maher (patrice.maher@stachurchbloomfield.org) or call the Parish Center- main number (973) 338-9190 and leave Patrice a message.. Your privacy will always be protected and respected.