Vineland Delivers

South Jersey farmers connect with food banks and distribution centers to provide holiday meals to food-insecure families.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn joined volunteers and Southern Regional Food Distribution Center (SRFDC) Executive Director Jill N. Lombardo-Melchiore at its Vineland facility for Turkey Day Food Drive to help provide food to neighbors in need. 

“Food insecurity is a real issue facing many New Jersey families, and as we approach the holiday season, the work of SRFDC is even more important,” Secretary Wengryn said. “Connecting our New Jersey  farmers with our food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens means we can ensure a more secure food future for New Jerseyans.” 

During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, SRFDC distributes to their network of local distributing agencies (LDAs) all the “dry” goods needed to complete a holiday meal, including cranberry sauce, canned veggies, nuts, flour, oils, and stuffing mix. On the annual Turkey Day distribution, LDAs pick up the turkeys and produce from SRFDC, which distributed 15,000 turkeys and 3,000 whole chickens this  year. 

“Southern Regional Food Distribution Center is proud to be part of a network dedicated to caring for the  basic needs of our community,” said Lombardo-Melchiore. “Our network  includes our partners at the NJ Department of Agriculture, our suppliers, volunteers, staff, and, of course, the pantries and soup kitchens who serve with heart and compassion all year long.” 

SRFDC serves more than 120 pantries in nine counties and over 500,000 meals annually. It receives donations from the public, religious organizations, local businesses, and grants through government  programs, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s The Emergency Food Assistance Program  (TEFAP) and New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s State Food and Hunger Grant and Hunger Initiative. 

The food provided through these programs includes poultry, pork, fish, fresh produce, and other items, allowing residents to choose from a variety of nutritious options to meet their families’ needs. Nearly one million people in New Jersey are food insecure, including more than 260,000 children. 

Contact information for each of the six Emergency Feeding Organizations and the counties they serve in New Jersey can be found at https://bit.ly/40X4EF2. 

To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find them on Facebook  at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA1 and @JerseyFreshNJDA.