First Harvest Credit Union and EdiFi Credit Union, along with 13 participating New Jersey credit unions, shared the results of the New Jersey Credit Unions Food Cooperative. The program, created to help address the growing hunger crisis in New Jersey, collected and donated more than 4,450 pounds of essential food items in total to support more than 20 food pantries and organizations throughout the state.
This year’s collection period specifically targeted the heightened need for food during the summer months, when many children lose access to school-provided meals while on break. The New Jersey Credit Unions Food Cooperative helped replenish the shelves of local food pantries and organizations as a result of the increased need. All participating credit unions and their designated branches served as collection locations from July 21st through August 31st, providing broader geographic coverage across New Jersey. Each credit union branch directly supported a food pantry or organization within the community it serves.
Participating New Jersey credit unions include:
Benefitting New Jersey food organizations include:
“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,” said First Harvest President & CEO Mike Dinneen. “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.”
“We’re seeing the stress that the increased cost of food and necessities is having on our local communities,” said EdiFi Credit Union President & CEO Jill Peterson. “ 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.”
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