New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher has announced the distribution of more than $16,000 to New Jersey’s six food banks to supplement their food supplies.
The funding represents contributions through the Community Food Pantry Fund, a state income tax form check-off program, according to a press release from the Department of Agriculture.
“New Jersey taxpayers have made a direct impact on the lives of many Garden State families in need with their donations,” Fisher said. “When filing your taxes, please seek out this fund and donate to this worthy cause.”
Funds were distributed to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Hillside; the Food Bank of South Jersey, Pennsauken; Fulfill (formerly the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties), Neptune; the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, Ewing; the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, Vineland; and NORWESCAP, Phillipsburg, according to the press release.
The fund was the result of recommendations from the state’s Hunger Prevention Advisory Committee in an effort to create an ongoing funding stream to assist with the acquisition of emergency food to enhance the emergency food provider system, according to the press release.
The check-off was first available on the 2010 tax year forms. It allows taxpayers to contribute a portion of their tax refund or make a donation. Money collected for the fund administered by the Department of Agriculture must be used exclusively for food purchases.
Those wishing to contribute will find the check-off item on their NJ-1040 income tax form. Since its inception, more than $171,000 of taxpayer-donated money has been distributed to the food banks through the fund, according to the press release.
Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Legislature allocated $6.8 million for the current fiscal year’s New Jersey Department of Agriculture State Food Purchase Program (SFPP). That money is distributed quarterly to the state’s six food banks for the purchase of healthy foods, with an emphasis on buying produce from New Jersey farmers. The SFPP is in its 13th year, according to the press release.
The department also distributes U.S. Department of Agriculture-donated food to the six food banks through the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
