[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC STING] - She's back by popular demand.

She's Tara Colton, Chief Economic Security Officer for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, EDA, one of our longtime underwriters and partners.

Tara, thank you for joining us.

- Thank you.

Always a pleasure to be here.

- We've never talked about food insecurity before.

We're gonna talk about it now.

What is the issue as it relates to the Economic Development Authority?

Why even in this business?

- I think the fact that the Economic Development Authority sees food security and food deserts as an economic issue is really backed up by data.

There's countless studies about the impact of hunger on health outcomes, housing stability, educational outcomes, and we know that too many New Jerseyans don't know where their next meal's coming from.

So Governor Murphy has had us commit over $300 million in a very diverse toolkit of programs to try and address those issues.

- There'll be a new governor in January, 2026.

Is that money in place up until the end of June, 2026 when the fiscal year ends?

- Yeah, we are very fortunate that we have a unique source of funding to support our food security work that actually will persist for several years beyond this administration through some legislation that was signed several years ago.

Because we know that the permanence of food insecurity and the impact of some of the recent federal cuts on nutrition programs mean that hunger in New Jersey is likely to get worse before it gets better.

And so we have funding that will last for the next several years to deploy to try and address that issue.

- Talk to us about FEED, F-E-E-D, Food Equity and Economic Development Initiative.

What is that?

- I think it says so much of it in the name.

It's a competitive grant program that we've developed.

We're making $30 million available up to half a million dollars per award for creative solutions in food deserts throughout New Jersey.

We launched a similar program in Atlantic City about a year ago and have been thrilled at the impactful solutions we've seen there.

And so we expect that we'll be able to support dozens and dozens of organizations and retailers up and down the state to bring food to people, bring people to food, and think differently about how New Jerseyans are nourished.

- Last time you joined us, we talked a lot about childcare.

I wanna revisit it.

The initiative we're engaged in public awareness initiative around childcare is called Start Strong NJ.

The website's up right now.

The role of the Economic Development Authority as it relates to promoting and supporting quality, affordable, accessible childcare and its connection to the economy.

- Yeah, I think we've proven, both anecdotally and empirically that childcare is economic infrastructure.

We have committed over $140 million in funds to New Jersey's childcare sector for them as businesses to be able to make improvements to their facilities.

We expect that funding will contribute to thousands of new seats, especially for infants and toddlers, will allow families to go to work or go back to work, and it'll improve the quality of care for tens of thousands of New Jersey's children.

So the economic impact for both New Jersey's workers and the businesses that care for their children while they're at work is a very high return on investment for every dollar that we spend.

- You know, Tara, you and I talked about this before we got on the air that the Economic Development Authority is a quasi-government entity.

It is in the state government, but does it have its own separate governance?

- Right, we say that we are in but not of state government.

So we are state employees, but we have a board of directors that is appointed by both the governor and legislative leaders.

And we are a state authority.

And so much of the funding that we utilize here at the EDA is used for initiatives that are both bipartisan and long-term in nature.

And so we are really optimistic and excited about the foundation that we've built during the Murphy administration, but also the opportunity to continue delivering for New Jerseyans on issues that affect so many people in communities big and small throughout the state.

- And the EDA, the website up one more time.

They'll be around regardless of who the new governor will be in January, 2026.

Tara Colton, I wanna thank you so much for joining us again.

All the best.

- Thank you so much, Steve, great to see you.

- You got it, stay with us.

We'll be right back.

- [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Turrell Fund, a foundation serving children.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

Newark Board of Education.

Seton Hall University.

EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.

A New Jersey health foundation program.

New Jersey Sharing Network.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by Johnson & Johnson.

Promotional support provided by CIANJ, and Commerce Magazine.

And by NJ.Com.

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