HungerFree NJ News

Summer EBT Outreach Materials

In summer 2024, New Jersey will launch Summer EBT, a new-to-NJ child nutrition program intended to reduce hunger and food insecurity for children during the

New Resource for College Students

There’s a new resource out there for NJ college students who may need assistance with food, housing, transportation, and other matters. BasicNeeds.NJ.gov is the new

family eating

Food Insecurity Increased in 2022, With Severe Impact on Households With Children and Ongoing Racial Inequities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its annual report on food security, showing that 44.2 million people (in 17.0 million households) in the U.S. could not afford enough food to eat at some point in 2022. Overall, food insecurity increased from 10.2 percent in 2021 to 12.8 percent in 2022 — resulting in 10.3 million more people, including 4.1 million more children, who lived in households that experienced food insecurity in 2022 compared to 2021 — reflecting higher food costs and the phasing out of many pandemic relief measures.

As Many as 124,200 Young Children and New Parents in New Jersey Could Be Turned Away From WIC or Have Their Benefits Cut Under Pending Appropriations Bills

Funding in fiscal year 2024 Senate and House appropriations bills for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) falls far short of what is needed to provide all eligible families who apply with the full nutrition assistance benefit. Across the states, these proposed funding levels would result in WIC turning away 600,000 eligible new parents and young children, and the House bill would sharply cut benefits for another 4.7 million.