Today over 100 New Jersey bloggers will be participating in a campaign to bring attention to the current state of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) which is the largest food bank in the state.
In New Jersey, as in many states, due to the current economic crisis, food is down, funds are down, and demand is increasing. More specifically, “requests for food have gone up 30 percent, but donations are down by 25 percent. Warehouse shelves that are typically stocked with food are bare and supplies have gotten so low that, for the first time in its 25 year history, the food bank is developing a rationing mechanism.”
It might be of interest to you to understand how the role of the CFBNJ food bank is different from that of the local food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters in the state. The CFBNJ is like a wholesale distributor which provides food to these smaller locations, i.e., more than 1,700 non-profits, which serve more than 500,000 people a year throughout the state. The food bank does not give food directly to individuals; instead, the food bank accepts large-quantity (truck-load-size) food donations, as well as monetary donations which they stretch to purchase food at wholesale prices. Keeping this food bank open is clearly a vital need!
While the need and impact of the CFBNJ food bank is large, some suggestions on what you can do to help out the hungry are not. Please consider helping out in any of the following ways:
- Make a monetary contribution: Visit www.njfoodbank.org.
- Donate food: Drop off a bag of food at a local pantry directly: a listing by county can be found here: www.sefan.org.
- Organize a food drive: Call 908-355-FOOD for assistance on logistics of getting started.
- Help “Check Out Hunger:” Look for the “Check Out Hunger” coupons at your local supermarket and donate. No donation is too small!
Please join 100 New Jersey bloggers in supporting this cause and spreading the word to your family, friends, and organizations as well! Thank you!
(Additional Note : This blogging campaign is part of the larger “We Can’t Let This Bank Fail” campaign that was kicked off with the support of Bruce Springsteen in ads that first ran in mid-November of this year.)