Fighting Summer Hunger by Feeding 8,000 Children in South Jersey
Summary
“An intrinsic part of our mission is ensuring that no child is going home hungry at any time of the year,” states FBSJ President and CEO Val Traore.FBSJ will continue to function as a “self-prep” sponsor for its SMP, procuring food directly from wholesalers such as Seashore Fruit & Produce and Hy-Point Dairy Farms, and relying on the cooperation of volunteers and the expertise of staff to prep and pack an average of 5,000 meals daily delivering them to participating sites on time each day.FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food-insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives.The New Jersey Department of Agriculture reports that nearly 430,000 children in the state receive free and/or reduced price meals during the school year through the National School Lunch Program, but in 2016 less than 20 percent of those kids were able to access nutritious meals during the summer months.“An intrinsic part of our mission is ensuring that no child is going home hungry at any time of the year,” states FBSJ President and CEO Val Traore.FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food-insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives.