Bill would fix funding system for local food banks

Ocean Township — Senator Vin Gopal this month introduced new legislation he says would correct oversights in funding for New Jersey food banks, restoring equity and necessary resources to non-profit organizations such as Fulfill, the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

The bill (S-4247), which amends the FY2020 State Budget, would require that state funds for community food banks be distributed based on the number of food-insecure households that each organization serves as a percentage of the total number of food-insecure households throughout New Jersey.

“Every food bank serves a different community, and each of these communities has its own unique needs,” said Senator Gopal (D-Long Branch). “We need to make sure that our efforts are reaching as many people as possible, and that no community is overlooked. By distributing funds in accordance with the needs of the community, we can make sure that every food bank is allocated the resources it needs to provide for the households it serves, and make our budget fairer for Garden State families. No family or child should go hungry in New Jersey, and with this legislation, we can make sure that our dedicated food banks have the resources they need to provide meals to our most vulnerable residents.”

“Fulfill feeds 136,000 people in need in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, 50,000 of whom are children. We are grateful to Senator Gopal for his efforts to ensure that we can continue this critical work,” said former Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, now President and CEO of Fulfill. “With these funds, we can expand and deepen our mission to provide every family with healthy, nutritious, and regular meals, improving our services for the many vulnerable families across our two counties.”