The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the state’s largest anti-hunger organization. It distributes food for more than 90 million meals a year through a network of over 800 community partners: pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs, and senior centers. Its 285,000-square-foot warehouse in Hillside anchors the operation, with a second hub in Egg Harbor Township covering the south. Elizabeth McCarthy became President and CEO in July 2023. The organization marked 50 years of service in recent years.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey sources food at scale and distributes it through more than 800 partner programs across the state, supplying the pantries and kitchens that feed people directly. It runs its own programs too, including job training in food service, benefits-access help, and distributions aimed at children and seniors, on the view that ending hunger takes more than handing out groceries.
Elizabeth McCarthy became President and CEO in July 2023. She brought a background in nonprofit leadership and has been described as a quick study of the hunger-relief field while putting her own stamp on the organization. Under her, CFBNJ has continued operating at the largest scale of any food bank in New Jersey.
CFBNJ operates statewide from its two hubs, with the Hillside warehouse serving the dense northern and central parts of the state and Egg Harbor Township serving the south. New Jersey’s high cost of living drives food insecurity even among working households, and a large share of food-insecure residents do not qualify for federal benefits, which is the gap the food bank network fills.
Yes. The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member with a decades-long operating record. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Bulk buying and donated food mean a gift produces many meals.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through cfbnj.org. The food bank runs a large volunteer operation across both hubs, and cash gifts go furthest because of its scale and purchasing power.
New Jersey is served by several regional food banks. CFBNJ is the largest and operates statewide, while Fulfill covers Monmouth and Ocean counties and others cover their regions. For most of the state, CFBNJ is the central organization to support.
800+ pantries, kitchens, and programs statewide.
Food-service training that addresses a cause of hunger.
Help connecting residents to SNAP and other support.
Targeted distributions for the most vulnerable groups.
Sources: Community FoodBank of New Jersey website (cfbnj.org), Food Bank News and TAPinto coverage of the leadership transition, and New Jersey Monthly on the organization’s 50th anniversary. We are not affiliated with Community FoodBank of New Jersey and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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