Hunger In Somerset County
- Somerset is one of the wealthiest counties in America, yet even here there are 17,000 individuals living below the poverty line , many of whom cannot count on having an adequate supply of food.
- Personal events such as job loss, death of a breadwinner, or long-term illness can suddenly plunge a family into becoming food-insecure.
- Global or regional disasters like a pandemic or catastrophic flooding, both of which have hit Somerset County in recent times, further increase the number of our neighbors facing hunger.
Welcome To Cfbnj Southern Branch
The Southern Branch of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is located in Egg Harbor Township and serves clients in Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties. Right off the Garden State Parkway, the Southern Branch offers on-location food pantry hours as well as a mobile pantry to help get food to hungry men, women, and children in more remote areas of South Jersey. We are also happy to pre-screen and help you apply for SNAP benefits .
Where Your Donation Goes
At the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, we dedicate a remarkable 95.5 percent of our expenses to programs, and only 4.5 percent to administration and fundraising. We want you to know that when you support CFBNJ by making a monetary gift, more of the money goes to help fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey. Learn more about how you can start giving to CFBNJ today.
Don’t Miss: Second Harvest Food Bank Phone Number
New Jerseys Largest Food Bank
CFBNJ serves Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union Counties. We distribute food from our warehouses in Hillside and Egg Harbor Township to over 800 food pantries and soup kitchens in New Jersey. Our locations work as a team, but the hours and services do differ slightly, so please take a look at the pages for our Hillside location or our Southern Branch to learn more about CFBNJs hours, services, and contact information.
Accessing The Food Pantry
Visit the pantry located in the Community Center, 220 South 6th Ave, Highland Park, NJ on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from 9:00am – 10:45am and 6:00pm – 7:00 pm and on the Saturdays of those weeks from 9:30am – 10:30am.
If you have a true emergency food situation outside of normal distribution days/times. Please call Nicole Huff at the Community Center during regular business hours Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00am to 1:00pm. Outside of regular business hours EMERGENCIES ONLY contact at 908-410-7618.
We are always looking for volunteers. If interested email or call Nicole Huff at 732-819-0052 or visit us on .
Recommended Reading: Donating Money To Food Banks
Sign Up For Cfbnj Network News
Please use the form below to sign up for Network News, a weekly newsletter that outlines our available products, provides updates about recalls, and much more. We highly recommend that our partner agencies sign up to receive this valuable communication.
Our Network Engagement Specialists are here to assist you. We encourage our partner agencies to connect with our staff about any concerns they have. The contact form at the bottom of this page can be used to connect with your countys specialist.
Join The Cfbnj Care Crew
Community FoodBank of New Jersey in Hillside is launching a Volunteer Warehouse Ambassador program, known as the Care Crew. The Care Crew will be trained volunteers who will support CFBNJ staff to provide guidance, information, and gratitude to volunteer groups in the warehouse.
The Care Crew will assist in:
- Work with staff to greet and sign-in groups
- Provide an overview, if staff is unavailable
- Circulate among the group during the volunteer activity to answer questions about the project or the FoodBank
- Learn how to work various projects Food Sorting, Box building, and Pasta
- Have strong knowledge of FoodBank mission, priorities, and programs
- Thank volunteer groups at the end of the shift
Care Crew members will be asked to make a one-year commitment which will include an application, interview, orientation session, and commit to two volunteer shifts in Hillside per month. Candidates should have already completed two volunteer shifts at the Hillside warehouse before theyapply to join the Care Crew.
Recommended Reading: Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank
How Cfbnj Helps Hungry Neighbors
We package food orders for local soup kitchens and food pantries we purchase and collect food for distribution help people in need through SNAP application assistance reach communities with limited resources with mobile pantries and encourage others to get involved. Last year, we distributed food for over 85 million meals , 24% of which was fresh produce. We address hunger as a health issue by providing more fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and medical screenings to inspire positive lifestyles. Community members from all walks of life engage in our mission through volunteer opportunities resulting in over 17,000 volunteer visits last year-equivalent to the work of about 21 full-time employees.
CFBNJs mission is to fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. We will engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. We advance this mission during times of relative calm and during periods of upheaval. We are so grateful for your support in this fight.
Welcome To The Cfbnj Volunteer Program
Our volunteer program offers individuals, families and groups of many sizes a meaningful experience to make a direct impact on hunger in a positive and safe environment.
Last year, our volunteers made more than 17,000 site visits, dedicating over 44,000 hours to our cause . Click the sign-up button to join their ranks in our Hillside warehouse or at off-site events. Our Volunteer FAQs can help you learn more about what to expect during your visit.
We look forward to seeing you at the FoodBank!
Also Check: Food Banks That Accept Food Donations
Cfbnj Food Pantry Hours
To get food from our mobile and on-site pantries run by our Egg Harbor Township location, clients must show proof of residence. Two forms are required: a state issued ID such as a drivers license, and a piece of mail with their name and address on it. A lease that lists all occupants is also accepted. To get food for school-aged children under 18, their school record with their name and address on it is accepted, and for children younger than school age, we will accept a birth certificate. In the event that parents are divorced, children can only be listed under one parent in our records.
Our on-site food pantry is open to clients during the following times:
Monday: Closed