STRONG ROOTS & LASTING IMPACT IN SOUTH JERSEY

A Note from Fred Wasiak, President & CEO, Food Bank of South Jersey

It’s one of my favorite events of the year. Our annual Partners Appreciation Luncheon. It’s an opportunity to celebrate, network, and come together as one collective South Jersey organization working every day on meeting the needs of our neighbors.

Our partners – the pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters located in so many neighborhoods throughout Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties – are true extensions of our mission. Organizations that are driven to offer an immediate solution to hunger by providing food assistance to people in need and helping our neighbors find sustainable ways to improve their lives.

I loved the theme of this year’s event – South Jersey’s Seeds of Growth. From serving our neighbors through the pandemic, to meeting the extraordinary needs we see today, each partner in our network has been a seed of growth. These partners have helped us to be a better organization. They’ve helped us think differently. And they’ve demonstrated extraordinary compassion to help the increasing numbers of our neighbors facing the threat of hunger.

During a listening session at one of our agency partners recently, a local neighbor said, “I lost my job and never thought I would be in a situation to come to a pantry. I walked in so timid and scared to death, but they welcomed me with so much dignity and respect.”

That’s the essence of who our agency partners are: planted firmly in the communities they serve, with strong roots and committed sense of purpose. Working together with all our partners, we will continue to grow and ultimately change hunger in South Jersey.

 

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