The First Energy Foundation is awarding $600,000 in grants to New Jersey food banks as part of Hunger Action Month.
The foundation’s grants will provide approximately two million meals to families in communities served by Jersey Central Power & Light.
Foodbanks receiving grants include:
- Bradley Food Pantry (Neptune City, Monmouth County) – $15,000.
- Catholic Charities’ Hope House (Dover, Morris County) – $15,000.
- Community Foodbank of N.J. (Hillside, Union County) – $25,000.
- Community of Hope Ministries/Churches United for People (Spotswood, Middlesex County) – $10,000.
- Dermer Dreams (Fair Haven, Monmouth County) – $2,500.
- Feeding Middlesex County (Edison, Middlesex County) – $15,000.
- Foodbank Network of Somerset County (Bound Brook, Somerset County) – $25,000.
- Fulfill (Neptune, Monmouth County) – $75,000.
- Hands of Hope (Edison, Middlesex County) – $15,000.
- Interfaith Food Pantry Network (Morris Plains, Morris County) – $75,000.
- Jersey Shore Dream Center (Neptune City, Monmouth County) – $15,000.
- JFCSMC Nourish Pantry (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $7,500.
- Lacey Township Food Bank (Forked River, Ocean County) – $15,000.
- Lunch Break (Red Bank, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- Mercy Center (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- NORWESCAP (Phillipsburg, Warren County) – $75,000.
- Project Self-Sufficiency (Newton, Sussex County) – $10,000.
- Rise (Hightstown, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- Somebody C.A.R.E.S. Inc., Home to the Joel E. Perlmutter Memorial Food Pantry (Whiting, Ocean County) – $10,000.
- Spring Street Community Development (Morristown, Morris County) – $20,000.
- Trinity Center for the Community (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $25,000
More than 1 million people in New Jersey face food insecurity according to Feeding America.
First Energy’s New Jersey President Doug Mokoid aspires to lead the change.
“The FirstEnergy Foundation is serving up can-do energy – collaborating with vital local organizations to reduce hunger and increase the availability of meals during Hunger Action Month,” he said. “Food means more than just nourishment – it’s a source of comfort that brings people together and strengthens bonds with a community.”
In total, this initiative is granting $2.5 million to 104 hunger relief organizations across New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, the largest hunger donation to date.
This is part of a two-decade long initiative, culminating in more than $7 million raised through the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign.
