Center For Food Action

Provide critical services primarily emergency food packages, housing and utility assistance and counseling and advocacy help to low-income Bergen and Passaic County residents and coordinate a statewide network of emergency food and social service providers working on hunger and poverty issues.

Emergency Food: CFA provides seven-day nutritious food packages to low-income people from eight sites in northern New Jersey. CFA makes every effort to accommodate clients with special needs, including Diabetic Food, Low Salt, Gluten Free, Kosher and Korean Food Packages. Last year we distributed nearly 64,000 emergency and holiday food packages to local families in need.

Homelessness Prevention and Heating, and Utility Assistance Program: CFA prevents evictions and the disconnection of utilities by paying security deposits on behalf of the household. When funding is available, the landlord or company is paid directly by CFA. Last year we helped 2,195 households with other basic needs such as rent, security deposits and utility and heating bills

Weekend Snack Pack Program: Many low-income parents rely on school meals to feed their children. Often, children go hungry on the weekends when these meals are not available. Children attending seven area schools are given easy-to-prepare, single serving food items for the weekend. This program has been warmly received by the schools, parents, and students. Last year we distributed 19,000 snack packs. To local kids who are hungry.

Thanksgiving Packages: Traditionally, CFA has given Thanksgiving food packages to over 3,000 low-income households. Many of CFA's regular volunteers and several hundred additional volunteers assist with this effort.

Counseling and Advocacy: CFA provides information, referrals, counseling, and advocacy to clients and helps them access government and community services to which they are entitled. Workshops are periodically offered on topics such as: nutrition, budgeting, buying healthy foods on a limited budget, etc. Staff and volunteers follow-up with clients and provide additional support as needed.

CFA Garden: As part of our effort to improve the quality of food our clients have access to, CFA has launched a community garden on the premises of CFA Englewood. We are happy to say that outside groups are also starting community gardens and donating the harvest to CFA.

Smile Pack Program: This is a new initiative with the goal of encouraging our young clients to exercise proper dental hygiene. Each Smile Pack contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc. These strengthening will be added twice a year to our Weekend Snack Packs and, as available, given to clients with young children as part of their seven-day food package.
New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition (NJAHC): NJAHC, CFA's statewide program, advocates on behalf of the poorest and most vulnerable residents of our State by educating the public and policymakers on critical issues affecting NJ's low-income residents.

CFA has an active board of directors, a highly qualified staff, hundreds of volunteers working to reduce hunger and assist people in maintaining their housing, heat, and lights. CFA has support from the religious community, civic associations, individual donors and government contracts supporting its work.

CFA helps people living in 100 towns in northern New Jersey by distributes approximately $5,000,000 worth of food annually and prevents evictions and the disconnection of services for more than 1,100 households annually. CFA provides training and technical assistance to emergency food providers across New Jersey and educates the larger community about the needs of people living in or on the brink of poverty.