Food Bank of South Jersey Plans for Busy Hunger Action Month
Emergency Food Provider Teams with Corporations and Community on Events that Sharpen the Fight against Food Insecurity.
Pennsauken, NJ, September 04, 2014 --(PR.com)-- The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is marking September – designated as Hunger Action Month by Feeding America® – with a series of events that draw focus to its mission to fight food-insecurity and provide life-changing nutrition education.
The activities, planned in cooperation with local businesses, agencies from its 250-partner network, and community-minded volunteers, include:
The second edition of the Food Bank Hunger Games (September 18), a spirited fundraising event that pits sponsoring teams assembled from local companies like Panera Bread, Bottom Dollar, and Subaru America in a cooking competition.
The market roll-out of the third season of Just Peachy Salsa, an FBSJ-branded product developed in collaboration with Campbell Soup Company in Camden and local peach growers.
Special recognition to honor the volunteers who helped make possible FBSJ’s Summer Feeding Program, which supplied 1,300 meals to low-income children daily for ten weeks during school recess.
The initial deliveries of critically-needed infrastructure upgrades – freezers, refrigerators, and shelving – to 14 charitable pantries in the FBSJ network, made possible by a recent grant awarded through BJ’s Wholesale Club. The equipment is expected to permit FBSJ to supply an additional 500,000 pounds of more nutritious, perishable foods to partners.
Collaboration with Wells Fargo, TD Banks, AAA, and other local corporate partners, who will be assembling volunteer teams at FBSJ’s facility this month to support various projects and experience first-hand the spirit and urgency behind FBSJ’s mission.
Continued expansion of FBSJ’s Healthy Living Initiative programs, with a series of nutrition and cooking classes delivered to children at Camden’s Leap Academy.
“The campaign to alleviate hunger is a year-round one,” stated FBSJ CEO Val Traore. “But in September, hundreds of food banks like ours bring one voice to America, highlighting the scope of the food-insecurity challenge across this country. Hunger impacts one in six Americans, from vulnerable children to vulnerable seniors, from displaced workers to displaced veterans. So we ask with added emphasis this month, to businesses and individuals, to really get involved and support our mission to solve this problem. We all have a role to play in getting food to those in need.”
The call to action by FBSJ this September is particularly timely. The 2014 Hunger in America Report, compiled by Feeding America and released in late August, shows that FBSJ serviced nearly 200,000 unique clients last year in Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
That number is more than double the amount serviced in 2010.
On September 4, Hunger Action Day, food banks across the nation are kicking off their month-long efforts by asking the nation to wear orange in support of hunger relief. Facebook and Twitter profile pages will incorporate orange displays.
About the Food Bank of South Jersey
The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is the leader in providing safe and nutritional food to people in need throughout South Jersey. FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives. To learn more visit www.foodbanksj.org.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Our mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. To learn more, visit http://feedingamerica.org.
The activities, planned in cooperation with local businesses, agencies from its 250-partner network, and community-minded volunteers, include:
The second edition of the Food Bank Hunger Games (September 18), a spirited fundraising event that pits sponsoring teams assembled from local companies like Panera Bread, Bottom Dollar, and Subaru America in a cooking competition.
The market roll-out of the third season of Just Peachy Salsa, an FBSJ-branded product developed in collaboration with Campbell Soup Company in Camden and local peach growers.
Special recognition to honor the volunteers who helped make possible FBSJ’s Summer Feeding Program, which supplied 1,300 meals to low-income children daily for ten weeks during school recess.
The initial deliveries of critically-needed infrastructure upgrades – freezers, refrigerators, and shelving – to 14 charitable pantries in the FBSJ network, made possible by a recent grant awarded through BJ’s Wholesale Club. The equipment is expected to permit FBSJ to supply an additional 500,000 pounds of more nutritious, perishable foods to partners.
Collaboration with Wells Fargo, TD Banks, AAA, and other local corporate partners, who will be assembling volunteer teams at FBSJ’s facility this month to support various projects and experience first-hand the spirit and urgency behind FBSJ’s mission.
Continued expansion of FBSJ’s Healthy Living Initiative programs, with a series of nutrition and cooking classes delivered to children at Camden’s Leap Academy.
“The campaign to alleviate hunger is a year-round one,” stated FBSJ CEO Val Traore. “But in September, hundreds of food banks like ours bring one voice to America, highlighting the scope of the food-insecurity challenge across this country. Hunger impacts one in six Americans, from vulnerable children to vulnerable seniors, from displaced workers to displaced veterans. So we ask with added emphasis this month, to businesses and individuals, to really get involved and support our mission to solve this problem. We all have a role to play in getting food to those in need.”
The call to action by FBSJ this September is particularly timely. The 2014 Hunger in America Report, compiled by Feeding America and released in late August, shows that FBSJ serviced nearly 200,000 unique clients last year in Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
That number is more than double the amount serviced in 2010.
On September 4, Hunger Action Day, food banks across the nation are kicking off their month-long efforts by asking the nation to wear orange in support of hunger relief. Facebook and Twitter profile pages will incorporate orange displays.
About the Food Bank of South Jersey
The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is the leader in providing safe and nutritional food to people in need throughout South Jersey. FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives. To learn more visit www.foodbanksj.org.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Our mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. To learn more, visit http://feedingamerica.org.
Contact
Food Bank of South Jersey
Lou Martelli
856-662-4884
foodbanksj.org
Lou Martelli
856-662-4884
foodbanksj.org
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