BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — Burlington County officials handed out more than 1,000 boxes and bags of food to residents who are struggling on Tuesday, officials announced.
The nonperishable goods and food were handed out to nearly 300 cars during the event at the Westampton complex amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to officials.
The county obtained the food through a partnership with the Food Bank of South Jersey and Farmers Against Hunger.
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Since the beginning of the pandemic, the two nonprofits have helped the county distribute more than 3,000 boxes and bags of food to those in need. Funding for the food assistance was also provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the federal CARES Act.
Each box included corn, sweet peas, pears, mixed fruit, tuna, rice, pasta, milk and rolled oats, and Farmers Against Hunger provided additional supplies of Jersey tomatoes, zucchini and other vegetables.
“No family should have to go to bed hungry or choose between putting food on the table or paying their rent or mortgage,” said Burlington County Freeholder Dan O’Connell, who was among the more than two dozen volunteers at the event. “These boxes and vegetables can provide that little bit of extra help many families need to get through this difficult time. I’m thankful our county has partners like the Food Bank of South Jersey and Farmers Against Hunger to help provide this assistance.”
Tuesday’s event was the tenth food distribution held throughout the county and the third at the BCIT campus. The others have been held in Mount Laurel, Willingboro, Pemberton Township, Burlington City and Riverside.
More than 1 million New Jerseyans have filed for unemployment during the health crisis, and the Food Bank has reported a more than 200 percent increase in food demand across the region, according to officials. More than 40 percent of those seeking help are first-time food bank resource recipients.
Even before the pandemic, close to one in eight New Jersey households was considered food insecure, meaning they weren’t certain they would have enough income to be able to afford adequate healthy food.
“This pandemic is the biggest challenge many of us have ever faced before. Whether you’ve lost a loved one to the disease or a job or income because of it, we’ve all been impacted in ways large and small,” O’Connell said. “I’m proud that our county is stepping up to help our residents through this difficult time. From standing up COVID-19 testing sites and finding protective equipment for our long-term care communities to ensuring that families have food for their families, we’ve strived to be there for our residents when they need their government most.”
See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here’s What You Need To Know
This article originally appeared on the Cinnaminson Patch
