- We are honored to be joined by Jeannie Fournier, who's Vice President of programs and services at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Jeannie, great to have you with us.

- Steve, thank you so much.

Pleasure to be here today.

- You got it.

We'll have the website up for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, one of our longtime partners.

We're doing important work in terms of food insecurity across this state.

Let me ask you this, Jeannie, the numbers are staggering, but beyond statistics, real human beings, right?

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey estimates they provide over 85 million meals in 2023.

In 2018, that was 50 million.

The demand, the need is greater than ever before, correct?

- Absolutely, Steve.

Yeah.

You know, you referenced two numbers, and we've seen some slight shifts over the years, but the need remains incredibly high.

- The pandemic has caused what, from your perspective?

In terms of families needs, individual's needs, to have access to healthy food?

- Yes.

I mean, I think what we saw from the pandemic was need throughout the state, that we know has always been there.

But it really heightened.

I think it heightened it of course, for everyone who is experiencing it.

But also in just visibility for individuals to recognize the need that exists throughout the state, we're currently around 650,000 of our neighbors, which equates to one in 13 individuals.

175 of which are children.

So those numbers are incredibly high, and Community Food Bank of New Jersey is really working to try to meet those needs.

- Talk about the impact of inflation.

- Absolutely.

I think as of June, inflation was up about 3%.

I wager to say anybody who's gone to the grocery store recently has seen just the rise in food costs alone.

Also, with the end of the public health emergency, a number of associated moratoriums and the benefits cliff if you will, have exacerbated the situation.

So you're talking about the end of extended unemployment, emergency SNAP allotments, the child tax credit, utility shut off moratoriums.

So you combine all of this with an increase in food costs, and already limited food budgets, and it's a real issue.

- You make a reference to SNAP SNAP formerly known as food stamps, correct?

- Correct.

Yes.

- Okay.

So let's talk about this.

There's an initiative I want you to explain, so that people can go on the website and find out more.

And we've been involved in public awareness programming for several years around food insecurity.

So this is really important.

The Healthy Pantries program, what is it, Jeannie, please?

- Yes.

Growing Healthy Pantries is a collaborative partnership between the Horizon Foundation, and the state's food banks.

So, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Food Bank of South Jersey, Fulfill, Mercer Street Friends, and Norwescap.

And so the initiative aims to seek food security, promote healthy food options, and improve the overall health for New Jersey children and their families.

- So is it different organizations coming together to have a greater impact?

- Yes.

- The first phase of this project that we're working on, is the development of a toolkit.

And what this toolkit aims to do, is to provide best practices, strategies, and resources that can really guide our network of a thousand plus local feeding organizations, such as food pantries, as an example, to really support them in their journey of becoming, you know, healthier spaces.

So the exciting thing about it, is that the toolkit will really act as a shared language, if you will, so that we are working with all of the pantries in the same way.

- So, Jeannie, the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, one of the largest in the country.

But there are a lot of smaller food pantries, smaller organizations.

What are the most daunting challenges they face?

- I know outside of inflation, they're really working to make sure that they can provide resources to our neighbors in need who visit, who visit their organization.

It's also thinking about, you know, the support, the staff.

Whether it's staff or volunteers really being able to come together and support those neighbors on a local level.

- Yeah.

The other issue that someone might say, "Well why is, you know, Jeannie Fournier talking about this?

It's the Community Food Bank of New Jersey."

But it is an important issue.

Talk to us about Period Poverty.

- Yes.

So the lack of financial resources to be able to cover period products, is called Period Poverty, and Community Food Bank of New Jersey is part of the National Diaper Bank's Network Alliance for period supplies.

And so we do, and have been for many years been providing period supplies to a number of community partners.

Currently it's over 150.

But what recently passed was a bill that would have the state covering period supplies being in schools, for example, where just like toilet paper, or paper towels that are free and accessible, would also be accessible to students.

- And this is called the Menstrual Equity Bill?

- Correct.

- In court legislation.

Jeannie, let me ask you this before I let you go.

Why do you do this work?

- I'm passionate about providing access to individuals regardless of where they live, so that they can live as healthy and active a life as possible.

And so when we think about not only what food is served, but how the food is served, and really giving neighbors the dignity of choice to make the decisions for themselves, that are going to be best for them, for their families, is very personal to me.

I've been doing this work for over 20 years, and now as a mother, I think it just has a different feeling when you really wanna know that people can take care of themselves.

And really working to support them in that journey.

- Incredibly important work at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Jeannie Fournier, Vice President of Programs and Services at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Jeannie, thank you so much.

Wish you all the best.

- Thank you so much for having me, Steve.

- We'll talk again soon.

Stay with us.

We'll be right back.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

The Fidelco Group.

Valley Bank.

New Jersey Sharing Network.

IBEW Local 102.

The North Ward Center.

The Russell Berrie Foundation.

Hackensack Meridian Health.

And by Prudential Financial.

Promotional support provided by New Jersey Globe.

And by New Jersey Monthly.

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