(Graphic: Mandy Coriston for Square Amplified; Source USDA Census of Agriculture, New Jersey)

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) has been named as the lead organization to implement a $9.7 million Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) grant in New Jersey under the program name Jersey Fresh for All. The program connects what the USDA classifies as ‘socially disadvantaged’ farmers and producers to local food banks to provide fresh food in communities throughout the state.

New Jersey residents who utilize the SNAP program won’t be left in the lurch when federal SNAP emergency benefits end on February 28, as the state becomes the first to institute a minimum benefit allotment. Beginning March 1, all individuals and households participating in the program will receive no less than $95 a month to assist with the rising cost of groceries and fresh essentials.

Gone are the days of skimming social media for the next farmers’ market. Students at Stockton, in collaboration with the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative (NJFDC), have created a website and interactive map showing where the closest market is, and which ones accept SNAP cards. The site also lets farmers know how to become SNAP authorized.

Senior citizens, children, and adults still can't afford regular access to food in New Jersey. An estimated 2 million people statewide are food insecure, and 22% of children in Essex county live below the poverty level, according Table to Table a New Jersey food rescue program founded in 1999.