Each year, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) works around the clock to put food on the table for families who need it most. This year, the work looks a tad different.
CFBNJ is still preparing to distribute 95,000 turkeys, chickens, and hams this Thanksgiving, but soaring prices are changing just how much it purchases of each. Turkey prices have increased more than 60% this year, pushing the organization to purchase about half as many turkeys as it did last year, according to NBC10.
“Rising food costs are impacting not only neighbors, but organizations such as ourselves,” Jeannie Fournier, the food bank’s chief impact officer, told the station. “We’ve made up for it by purchasing more chicken roasters.”
The adjustments come as more than 1.2 million people in New Jersey, including 330,000 children, are estimated to face food insecurity, according to NBC10. Fournier told the station that the need for CFBNJ’s work is “only increasing.”
That includes families who have never needed help before. Paula Tintinago, the food bank’s director of community connections, told NBC10 that some families who had never set foot in a pantry are now turning to the food bank, saying there’s “no other way” they can afford to put together a Thanksgiving spread.
SNAP Changes Add to the Stress
Sky-high prices are only part of the story. For some families, new federal work and eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are adding another layer of uncertainty heading into the holiday season.
Many families’ tables might look slightly different this year. Instead of a 16-pound turkey, they might be looking at two 5-pound chickens and a ham. That’s OK. The important part is that families have a homemade meal with their loved ones. However, for Thanksgiving traditionalists, it’s understandably a step down.
Every American deserves a Thanksgiving meal. CFBNJ will continue its work leading up to the holiday. You can find more information, including how to donate and volunteer, here.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
