Six of the New Jersey’s food banks will receive an immediate infusion of $10 million in Federal CARES Act funding with an additional $10 million available in the coming months, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday.

Murphy made the announcement at one of the food banks that will benefit; the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside, Union County. He said the demand for help from food banks has grown tremendously during the COVID-19 pandemic and support has dried up.

“Food donations from supermarkets and other places have precipitously declined as many stores couldn’t keep up with the demand of their customers let alone their desire to provide to those across our communities who needed an extra helping hand,” he said.

More than one million families in the state have had to rely on food pantries for the first time due to COVID-related job losses, according to the governor.

The other food banks that will receive some of the funding include the Food Bank of South Jersey in Pennsauken, Fulfill in Monmouth and Ocean counties, Mercer Street Friends in Ewing, NORWESCAP in Warren County and the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center in Vineland.

Murphy said the money is a “one-two punch” against the fears of hunger and “an investment in our families.”

“It is an investment in our continued fight against food insecurity,” he added. “And it is an investment in one of our core New Jersey values; our value of community.”

Also on hand for the announcement were representatives from the six food banks, including former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno who is president and CEO of Fulfill, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Steve Sweeney.

Murphy also announced that this week, $208 million in special food assistance benefits had started to make their way to more than 500,000 school children who would have received free or reduced-price school meals if not for COVID-related school closures.

The Rural Development Corporation doubled the capacity it has for clients at the Cumberland Family Shelter after opening a new building at the facility.

Volunteers spent approximately two years renovating one of the shelter buildings on the facility — replacing the roof, drywall ceiling, bathrooms, extermination of a termite infestation and other overhauls.

According to the people who worked on the renovations, basically everything in the building was replaced except for the brick walls.

Members of the Rural Development Corporation officially dedicated the building during Monday’s open house event.

“This is a very exciting day for us,” said Michael P. Killeen, board president for the development corporation. “It’s a day that we’ve been looking forward to for years and a lot of people — all of you and others that are not here today — have made this day possible.”

Known simply as building #2, the building allows 56 more people who are homeless and in need of assistance to stay at Cumberland Family Shelter. Monday’s dedication ceremony took place in the common area when one first walks into the building and from there the visitors took tours of the living spaces. Each room had new bunk beds and dressers for the future residents — with one room even containing a white crib for a homeless parent with a small child.

“Back when we started the remodeling of this building, we had a slight indicator two years ago because of the economy that it may be needed,” said Tammy Morris, executive director. “We just didn’t think it would take this long to finish the project.”

While the renovations were done on building #2, building #1 served as the sole shelter space at the facility and a maximum capacity of 56 residents. Due to the limited capacity, there has been a waiting list of people who wish to use the shelter.

“So, the pressure was on to hurry up and get this building done so we can start assisting those in need of getting help,” Morris said.

Each resident is given food three times a day from the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, which is also run by the Rural Development Corporation and is located on the same property as the shelter, along with clothes, hygiene products and bus transportation.

With the renovations completed, more people can now be given much needed assistance at the homeless shelter.

Christopher Smaniotto, who works maintenance for the non-profit, worked every day he could over the two-year process to fix the building and helped the 20 volunteers who assisted during the process.

“Basically it was a ground-up renovation — everything but the bricks pretty much,” he said. “All the trim and everything got done.”

Looking at the finished product — some touch-ups aside — he said the building turned out very well.

Arlene Cherwien of Redeemer Lutheran Church took pictures of the project as each piece of renovation was put in place and the transformation has been nothing short of miraculous.

“Every time I came here there was a change,” she said. “It just evolved. It was amazing to watch.”

Three of the men who helped the project — Redeemer Lutheran Church Project Coordinator Edward Morvay, Pastor Gary Stiegler and Wayne Grant — were honored with plaques at the ceremony.

Officials also honored the memory of two volunteers who died before seeing the project come to fruition — Augusta Allen and Robert Penven — by making a plaque bearing their names to hang up in the facility.

Rural Development Corporation also plans on making similar renovations to building #1 in the future with updates similar to building #2.

All of the work is done to fill a need in Cumberland County and to help people, according to Killeen.

“Life matters — every person matters to us,” he said. “Regardless of race or color — every person matters”

It was a typical early summer sight last weekend as a group gathered under a large tent in South Jersey to celebrate. This wasn’t just any party, though. This was a chance to thank the helpers who worked throughout the pandemic to ensure New Jersey residents struggling through job losses and dwindling resources were still able to feed their families. The Southern Regional Food Distribution Center hosted a Pantry Appreciation Day to highlight the work of volunteers who provide millions of pounds of food across a large swath of the state year after year, no matter what challenges stand in the way.

The center provides goods to 80 food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens, and operates under the Rural Development Corp., which supports underserved rural communities in South Jersey. In addition to the center, the RDC operates the Cumberland Family Shelter.

As the pandemic upended lives, the need for help grew.

“There was a lot more food coming in and going out,” said Jill N. Lombardo-Melchiore, executive director of the Rural Development Corp. “Organizations had a larger need for food because they were trying to feed so many people.”
The annual amount of food delivered through their Vineland distribution center increased by 1.6 million pounds between 2019 and 2020. They moved 4.6 million pounds in 2020 and this year’s figures are trending in the same direction. The numbers have not declined to pre-COVID levels so far this year.

“A lot of the pantries that we work with have been feeding people for years and they’ll continue to feed people now that COVID is officially over,” Lombardo-Melchiore said. “They really stepped up to make sure that people in their communities were fed throughout COVID and the majority of them are volunteer-based. The majority of them were people who were leaving their homes in the middle of COVID to make sure that other people were fed.”
That dedication inspired Pantry Appreciation Day, inviting volunteers and the organizations they serve to come to Vineland for an afternoon of entertainment, food and fellowship.
Anika Jackson, who oversees the pantry at In His Image Ministries in Gouldtown, brought her young children to the event because giving back is a family tradition.
They adopt 10 families at the Cumberland Family Shelter each Christmas, providing gifts and making the holiday special for those going through tough times.
The church launched its food pantry about six months ago and helps more than 100 families a month.

While the worst effects of the pandemic may be starting to subside, the need hasn’t, Jackson said. Many remain out of work and some are now struggling to keep their kids fed through the summer.
In addition to a drive-up pantry, they also deliver food to seniors.

“It makes you feel really good to be able to help someone that can’t help themselves at such a time as this,” she said.
Jackson was especially moved by the plight of one older woman who lost her job during the pandemic, while also caring for her ailing husband at home. She didn’t have the means to buy groceries and reached out to the pantry.