DEPTFORD, N.J.–First Harvest Credit Union and EdiFi Credit Union have launched the second annual New Jersey Credit Unions Food Cooperative, a statewide initiative uniting 12 credit unions to help fight food insecurity across the state.
“This year’s collection period specifically targets the heightened need for food during the summer months, when many children lose access to school-provided meals while on break,” the organizations said. “The New Jersey Credit Unions Food Cooperative seeks to replenish the shelves of local food pantries and organizations as a result of the increased need.”
All participating credit unions and their select branches will serve as collection locations from July 21-August 31.
According to the U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Annual Household Food Security report, New Jersey’s average food insecurity rate from 2021 to 2023 was 9.8%, with one in every 10 households experiencing food insecurity. From 2019 to 2022, children under 18 throughout the state have faced a worsening rate of food insecurity, which increased from 9.9% to 13.7% over four years, the CUs stated.
Additionally, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority identified the top 50 food desert communities in the state have a combined total population of 1.5 million residents. “These communities, who continue to have limited access to healthy and affordable food sources, are largely located within the footprints of the participating credit unions,” the credit unions stated.
The Participants
Participating credit unions include:
- EdiFi Credit Union (Co-Sponsor)
- First Harvest Credit Union (Co-Sponsor)
- Affinity Federal Credit Union
- Atlantic City Electric Company Employees Federal Credit Union
- Community Financial Services Federal Credit Union
- Deepwater Industries Federal Credit Union
- Garden Savings Federal Credit Union
- Manville Area Federal Credit Union
- Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union
- Motion Federal Credit Union
- Princeton Federal Credit Union
- Ridgedale Federal Credit Union
“As not-for-profit credit unions, we have an inherent responsibility to uplift the communities we serve. New Jersey’s credit unions serve a wide variety of rural, urban and suburban communities. There is a food inequity and affordability crisis that is impacting all of our residents. Credit unions have a proven ability to lead when there is a need to help those who are underserved. New Jersey’s credit unions are proud to lead on this important member-driven mission,” said First Harvest President & CEO Mike Dinneen.
“We’re seeing the stress that the increased cost of food and necessities is having on our local communities. This effort to help those in need is perfectly consistent with the mission of the credit union movement to lift up individuals and families. It’s great to see so many of our credit union colleagues collaborating together towards this initiative,” said EdiFi Credit Union President & CEO Jill Peterson.