Advocates and food pantry clients called for action to address the growing problem of hunger in the Garden State.

“We are seeing it (hunger) in suburbia. We are seeing it in urban areas. It’s really kind of an epidemic throughout the state,” said Adele LaTourette, New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition director. “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years and I have never seen or heard the stories that I’m seeing now.”

The advocates urged the state to revise the Heat and Eat program to help provide more food assistance for an estimated 160,000 households and to do a better job in processing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) applications.

Read More: Hunger is a statewide epidemic in NJ says advocate | http://nj1015.com/hunger-is-a-statewide-epidemic-in-nj-says-advocate/?trackback=tsmclip

OritaniBank Charitable Foundation for Hosting the Oritani Golf Classic to Benefit the Center for Food Action

With Food Banks Struggling to Feed the Needy, Residents in Bergen and Passaic County Take Action

The Record:  Fighting Hunger

The Growing Number of Community Gardens in the Northern Valley provide More Than Just Sustainable Food

157K NJ Families to Have Food Stamp Benefits Cut, Report Says

In Englewood For Day of Service, Volunteers Focus on the Children 

Thank you to Jen Maxfield Ostfeld and Scott Ostfeld for sponsoring this important and memorable event. Over 120 volunteers joined together on our National Day of Service to  assemble 2500 weekend snack packs to help children in need in Englewood, NJ

Thank you to RealSource Realtors for donating 65 backpacks filled with school supplies to support CFA’s School Supply Drive.  Please note that although the collection is officially over, additional supplies are still needed to help local kids in need.

We would also like to thank the following individuals, religious organizations and businesses for supporting our work to help local kids in need get a good start to the school:

Advent Lutheran Church, Wyckoff, Community Presbyterian Vacation Bible School, Ringwood, High Mountain Presbyterian Vacation Bible School Franklin Lakes, Highland Presbyterian Church, Allendale,  KinderCare Learning Center, Mahwah,  Konica Minolta Ramsey,  Mrs. Karen Marcus Ringwood, National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Sherwin Williams USR,  St. Catherine of Bologna Church, Ringwood and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Teaneck.

RealSource Realtors Give Back to Local Students in Need

It’s official! We’ve opened our 8th site: CFA at the Student XChange at BCC. Our goal, in collaboration with BCC, is to help students who are struggling to afford tuition and food. CFA XChange hours: Tuesday 9 am-1 pm | Thursday 2 pm-6 pm. Lisa Pitz, CFA Pantry Coordinator. Student XChange hours: M-F 8:30 am – 6:30 pm. XChange number: 201-879-7223 | Email: xchange@bergen.edu

At a time when many families are thinking about vacations or planning BBQs, there are hundreds of local families who are struggling to manage the extra childcare and grocery bills that pile up when school is out and the Free & Reduced-Price School Meal Program is not available.

Your help will assure that we can provide families with school age kids the extra support needed in the summer. You can help by donating food and funds to CFA, supporting existing community food drives and/or creating your own food drive.

Here are two food drives you can support:

The OritaniBank Charitable Foundation is hosting its annual “Christmas in July” children’s food drive from June 23rd – August 1st at all 25 Oritani Bank branches.  Learn More  |  Find an Oritani Bank near you!

The Oradell-Emerson Rotary Food Drive is set for June 28.  from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Volk-Leber Funeral Home, 268 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell.

The food collected will help CFA offset the summer increase in need! Many thanks in advance! Are you interested in hosting a food drive?

Learn how to host your own food drive.

CFA’s Most Needed Items Include: 

Supermarket Gift Cards-(these allow us to purchase items that are not donated), Canned Meat, Tuna, and Chicken, etc, Canned Hearty Soup, Canned Vegetables, Macaroni & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Cereal (low sugar kids cereal welcome), Dry Milk (e.g., boxed Parmalat), Canned Fruit, Instant Potatoes, 100% Juice, Baby Formula & Diapers sizes 4, 5 & 6, Soap and Dental Hygiene Products.