The Food Bank of South Jersey is already seeing a sharp rise in need as federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains halted during the government shutdown.
The Pennsauken-based nonprofit typically provides food to about 200,000 people each month through its network of 200 pantries. That number has climbed as families who rely on SNAP lose access to their benefits.
How to find food
People who need assistance can visit the Food Bank of South Jersey’s website and click “Find Food” to locate a nearby pantry by entering their ZIP code.
Donations and food drives
As the need grows, the organization is asking for more support from the community to help meet the rising demand.
“We need the resources to meet the extra demand,” said President and CEO Fred C. Wasiak.
The food bank’s top donation priority is money. Every dollar it receives can provide two meals’ worth of food, allowing staff to purchase nutritious items in bulk and distribute them efficiently across more than 70 communities in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Visitors to the food bank’s website are greeted by a message urging them to “help close the SNAP gap,” a campaign designed to offset the loss of benefits through donations.
While monetary contributions have the greatest impact, the food bank also accepts food drives and individual donations. It provides bins to local groups and businesses that want to help, handles pickup and sorting, and ensures the food reaches pantries that need it most.
Volunteers needed as demand rises
Volunteers are another key part of the operation. Roughly 4,000 people assist the food bank in distributing food to families across the region. In 2024, their efforts helped deliver more than 23 million pounds, or 19.5 million meals, reflecting consistent growth from 21 million pounds the year before.
Limited - Food Bank of South Jersey
To handle the surge that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, the food bank expanded its operations and streamlined its processes. Still, Wasiak said it needs to bring on additional staff, drivers and warehouse workers, all of which adds unexpected costs to its budget.
Ongoing economic strain
Even though the pandemic officially ended more than two years ago, its economic effects continue to strain families across South Jersey. The food bank served 47,000 people a month in 2018, a number that more than quadrupled during the pandemic and has continued to rise.
“Rental prices, food prices, gas prices, healthcare, everything has gone up,” Wasiak said.
The suspension of SNAP benefits, he added, could deepen those challenges and have ripple effects throughout the local economy.
“For every SNAP dollar spent in a grocery store, $1.82 comes back to the local economy,” Wasiak said. “We have 130,000 SNAP recipients in our four counties. Grocers are going to feel the pinch, which could drive prices higher and make it even harder for families to afford food.”
"An everyday crisis"
With more families turning to local pantries and fewer federal resources to rely on, the Food Bank of South Jersey is working to close the gap however it can.
“In South Jersey, one in seven children and one in nine adults are food insecure,” Wasiak said. “It is an everyday crisis, and that is why we are raising funds every day and providing food every day.”
The Food Bank of South Jersey says it will continue doing whatever it takes to keep food on tables while federal aid remains uncertain.