Ahead of the food distribution at 3 p.m., area leaders will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. at Camden County College, Blackwood Campus, lot 6, 200 College Drive, Blackwood, to discuss the impact of the government shutdown on Camden County residents. Volunteers will be packing and organizing food to be distributed.
Details: In response to the government shutdown and severe delay in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the Camden County Board of Commissioners will host an emergency food distribution event today , at Camden County College, to assist SNAP recipients and federal employees impacted by the shutdown.
“We are in the midst of the longest government shutdown in history, and too many of our hardworking residents are being caught in the middle of an appalling political ploy by the Trump administration,” said Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. “The Board of Commissioners is dedicated to making sure no family in Camden County goes without food or basic necessities during this unprecedented time.”
With federal workers in their second month without receiving a paycheck, and over 75,000 Camden County residents who received a delay in their SNAP benefits this month, the Camden County Board of Commissioners, in partnership with the Food Bank of South Jersey and Farmers Against Hunger, is mobilizing to meet the immediate needs of local families.
SNAP benefits help more than 800,000 New Jerseyans across 400,000 households afford nutritious food. Almost half are children, nearly 1 in 3 are individuals with a disability, and 1 in 5 are senior citizens.
“One of the biggest misnomers about SNAP benefits is who is supported by the federal program, and the answer to that is children, families and the disabled,” said liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, Commissioner Virgina Betteridge. “These resources are critical to the health and welfare of more than 14% of our population here in Camden County and necessary for survival for thousands of residents.”
In addition to the food distribution, the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey is also working with the Camden County Board of Commissioners to raise funds and food for the Food Bank of South Jersey through their county membership.
“Based on the uncertainty of the federal government shutdown and when it may come to end, as an organization, we wanted to assist Camden County with this initiative to bridge the SNAP gap by imploring local businesses to help,” Christina Renna, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey said. “We believe that there is no higher calling than attacking hunger in the region we serve and working with the Food Bank of South Jersey and the Camden County Commissioners will support the children and families who are suffering through food insecurity.”