New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate

On this Thanksgiving, we celebrate the power of community. Let’s continue to work together to ensure that every New Jerseyan has the opportunity to share in the joy of a full table. Wishing you and your family a bright and joyful Thanksgiving!

?“There are many factors that contribute to food insecurity, and it can be really easy at times, to place the issue or the cause upon an individual’s or household’s doorstep. Really, we have to think about as a whole, what our cultural responsibilities and responsibilities as a society to addressing food insecurity, are. A huge piece of the puzzle is stigma and bias, and a lot of that can come from our culture and society. Try to reflect and understand the mountain that so many people are facing. Food insecurity exists year round.” ??--Jenny Schrum, PhD ?“I’d like to encourage everyone to ask your frontline community organizations doing this work ‘How can I best help you? What do you need? Is it food? Is it fresh food? Is it money?’ Ask and listen, and respond to what they tell you. As for throughout the year, if you have intention, if you have purpose, you’ll want to keep challenging yourself around the ideas of choice, power and agency.” ?? --Mark Dinglasan, MBA Neighbors working day-to-day to serve their communities know all too well that food insecurity is an everyday, yearlong calling. For others, this is the time of year when the challenges working families, individuals, seniors, college students and others are facing, resurface in their minds. In this archived episode from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families' DCF on the Air podcast, Jenny, Mark and Jason Butkowski discussed prompts for meaningful personal reflection and conversations to build connection, community and a more nuanced understanding of what transformative, healing food security work can mean for us all. ?????????????? https://lnkd.in/gD_6qdT3

This takeaway from the USDA underscores how much working people are left to look to the local emergency organizations, "food and" pantries and community kitchens they know and trust. By providing the opportunity to shop and select food options, and access "wraparound" services like case management in the same location, these community organizations are helping working families find relief and afford other basic needs - especially when their budgets are stretched the tightest.

This is a huge win for Mercer County! It’s also one more NJ county taking this step to officially prioritize food security as a means of improving health and well-being for everyone. Kudos! Mercer County Administration, County Executive Benson, and all the amazing partners, we’ll support your collaborative work any way we can. #FoodSecurity

"School meal enrollment saves families on average $1,200 per child per year. It also reduces stress, it reduces the amount of work that’s already on parents,” he said. “School meals are healthy, they’re tasty, and they help our students achieve more.” - Dan Dychtwald, PhD, MPH, MS Our appreciation to WHYY for lifting up what nutritious and delicious school meals mean for NJ students and their families, and all of our communities. Additionally, for highlighting various current efforts to make these meals more readily available and accessible as part of the school day. It is our privilege to share in the commitment to support every parent's desire to nourish their children. https://lnkd.in/egsnZ4qY #SchoolMeals #FoodSecurityforAll Dan Dychtwald, PhD, MPH, MS Jemmell'z Washington-Rock

?FUNDING/Applicant Info Alert: TOMORROW, Nov. 19, will be a "two-fer Tuesday," as in, two webinars will be happening for two different opportunities that support food security work. ? ?? Tuesday, Nov. 19 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET: The USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Team will host the first in a series of bimonthly office hours to provide applicants with an opportunity to pose questions they may have about the 2025 Farm to School Grant Program that is currently accepting applications. Note that these sessions are not recorded, but you can come and go at any time. You do not need to attend the full hour, and the full time will be dedicated solely to answering applicant questions. Register: https://lnkd.in/eF8GNGfF The next office hours will be held Monday Dec. 2, 11:00-12:00p.m EST. The Patrick Leahy Farm to School grants support schools, child care facilities, and nonprofits in bringing farm-fresh, locally sourced produce to students, nurturing their health, bolstering local agriculture, and building vibrant, resilient communities. Details: https://lnkd.in/emTJ3Nxa ?? Tuesday, Nov. 19 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET: The Historically Underserved Farming Communities Grant Program will host its first webinar and Q&A session for interested applicants. Available through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program, this initiative seeks to create opportunities for historically underserved farmers and farming communities in the Northeast. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eH9G9MBP The next webinar and Q & A session will be held Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 2:00 p.m. EST Full details: https://lnkd.in/eFMEZyzz

?? Celebrating National Philanthropy Day! ?? On National Philanthropy Day, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners and all the organizations working to build a food-secure New Jersey. Their dedication to addressing food insecurity has made initiatives like the Food Security Access Fund and the New Jersey Food Security Initiative (NJFSI) possible—powerful programs that bring hope and resources to New Jersey’s communities. The Food Security Access Fund is a first-of-its-kind collaboration in New Jersey. Thanks to the generosity of The Tepper Foundation, Community Foundation of New Jersey, Novo Nordisk, The Taub Foundation, Hyde & Watson Foundation, The Grotta Fund for Older Adults, The Campbell's Foundation, The O’Toole Family Foundation, M&T Bank, Partners for Health Foundation, and the Schumann Fund for New Jersey, this fund supports local organizations with capacity-building grants and navigation support to secure essential resources. Their efforts help us collectively strengthen the food security landscape, and some of their work is pictured in this post. Learn more about the grantees: https://lnkd.in/e_jnJV9w We also recognize the work of the New Jersey Food Security Initiative (NJFSI), founded by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and supported by RWJF. This initiative enhances coordination and expands access to nutritious food in underserved communities, directly addressing health equity. Learn more about the work happening with this funding: https://lnkd.in/eV37jnuz Together, we’re moving toward a New Jersey where every household has access to nutritious food. Thank you to each partner and organization for your ongoing commitment to a healthier, food secure future! ?? #NationalPhilanthropyDay #FoodSecurity #NewJersey Renie Rich Carniol Barbara L. Lawrence nourish.NJ Middlesex County, NJ - County Government Loving Our Cities Anne Mernin

?? National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week: November 11–15 ?? The New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) joins with residents, community advocates, service providers, decision makers and coalitions across our state and our nation in recognizing National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. This week provides an important reminder of the interconnected barriers individuals and families face in accessing basic needs like food that meets their dietary needs and preferences, and safe, stable, humane housing. At OFSA, we are committed to breaking though these barriers and envisioning a future where no one has to make difficult decisions between paying for food, rent, utilities or other essentials. Since the office’s creation through legislation, we have worked alongside state agencies, community partners, and organizations across sectors to make food security a reality for everyone through data-driven and community-led collective impact initiatives. Together, we’re building consensus to view food security as a path to improving community health and well-being, and that this work encompasses addressing New Jerseyans’ needs before circumstances force them to look to the local food pantries they trust. We’re also fostering public-private partnerships, and informing policies that put food security at the forefront. ?? How You Can Help: Let’s continue coming together to make a difference. Food security work is not about othering. It’s about all of us. This week and all year long, we encourage everyone to connect with the programs and coalitions in your local community that are providing holistic services in ways that honor everyone’s dignity. Ask those teams how you can support their work as a neighbor and partner. ?? Our Mission: Through research, collaboration, and community-focused program design, OFSA envisions a food-secure New Jersey where everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive, so communities can heal themselves. To learn more and join the conversation, visit our website at www.nj.gov/foodsecurity #HHWeek #FoodSecurity #NewJersey

Earlier this month, TASK was pleased to participate in the first Garden State Conference on Food Insecurity, hosted by New Jersey's Office of the Food Security Advocate. Entitled, "Setting a Table for All, for Always," the conference featured a variety of panels and speakers who addressed the rising demand for food amidst the surge in need that many across the nation -- including here in New Jersey -- are experiencing. During the conference, TASK CEO Joyce Campbell (pictured here, in pink) was among a small group interviewed by John Hurdle from NJ Spotlight News. The resulting article, which covers the increase in food insecurity and New Jersey's response, also emphasizes the importance of a coordinated response that is driven by those with lived experience. At TASK, we are proud of our approach to hunger relief -- one that is centered around a philosophy of radical hospitality. We seek to understand our community and their needs, crafting programs and services that are designed based on their feedback and goals. In addition, we ensure that our community's voices are heard and amplified, ensuring that legislators and policymakers develop plans and policies that will truly impact our community in a meaningful way. Said Campbell, “What’s most important is that the people and the policies connect. When you bring someone with their story to a legislator, there is a lot more attention paid because it’s not my story, it’s their story.” To learn more about the statewide conversation and response to hunger, you can read Hurdle's article here: https://lnkd.in/eSsrQUHj

Our last full session of the Food is Medicine Policy Update! Panel Discussion: Stakeholder Update on the Challenge Accepted to Implement a Comprehensive Data-Centric Procurement Strategy to Drive Affordability and Food Accessibility to CBOs and Nutrition Providers with Jenny Schrum, PhD, Jeff Moreland, Paul Breitenbach, and moderated by Chris Erickson This session covered updates from public and private sector stakeholders on the progress of their commitments to realign the American food system with the mission to end hunger using a transformative food service management platform enabled by AI technology that addresses the problems of food access and affordability, while positioning community-based providers to reduce food costs and mitigate food deserts. #FIMpolicy #FoodisMedicine #FoodasMedicine