The New Jersey Bankers Association (NJBankers) officially kicked off its new Bankers Care initiative this week with a high-impact volunteer day at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s (CFBNJ) Hillside warehouse.
The event, held on Feb. 27, mobilized approximately 40 members of the NJBankers Emerging Leaders Network—a cohort of the state’s rising bank executives and business professionals—to address food insecurity among New Jersey’s most vulnerable populations.
Launched late last year, Bankers Care is a nationwide movement originally initiated by the Washington Bankers Association. It aims to spotlight the often-unseen community contributions of the banking industry, ranging from financial literacy workshops to small business support and grassroots volunteering.
To solidify their commitment, the NJBankers Charitable Foundation presented CFBNJ with a $1,500 donation during the event. This contribution supports the food bank’s massive logistical operation, which serves all 21 counties in New Jersey.
The volunteers focused their efforts on the Senior Box Project, a critical program that provides monthly supplemental food boxes to low-income residents aged 60 and older. Because seniors often face “heat or eat” dilemmas during winter months, these boxes are a vital lifeline.
In a single afternoon, the Emerging Leaders achieved:
- 280 Senior Boxes: Assembled with shelf-stable proteins, milk, and nutritious grains.
- 920 Bags of Pasta: Packed and sealed for distribution to CFBNJ’s network of 800+ local feeding partners.
“Bankers care about their neighbors and understand the importance of strengthening our communities,” Brittany Wheeler, NJBankers VP/director of Government Affairs said. “Each year, New Jersey’s banks devote thousands of hours to community service and donate millions of dollars to nonprofits across the state.”
The partnership comes at a crucial time. CFBNJ estimates that nearly 1 million people in New Jersey face hunger every day. Through the “1 Million Meals” campaign—a broader philanthropic goal NJBankers aims to hit by 2027—the association has already raised over 900,000 meals toward its target.
The Emerging Leaders Network, designed for members under 40, continues to use these events as dual-purpose opportunities for networking and social responsibility, ensuring that the next generation of New Jersey’s financial leadership is rooted in community service.
