The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ), the Pennsauken-based non-profit that is the area’s largest emergency-food provider, is looking to build on the success of its Summer Feeding Program (SFP) through significant expansion of the number of feeding sites it supports.

In 2015, FBSJ provided 92,000 meals to food-insecure children attending 45 SFP sites in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties. This year, the non-profit organization is attempting to double the impact of its SFP. It already has 60 feeding sites on board for the 2016 campaign, which begins June 13 and runs through Sept. 2.

Requirements/Options for Site Participation

FBSJ works with diverse types of organizations that can qualify as sites for its SFP, including schools, summer programs, churches, and apartment complexes (wherever children congregate). The key requirements for SFP site participation are:

• Site must be located in a low-income area, where 50 percent or more of the children are eligible for free/reduced-price school meals; or at least half of the children that attend the site program are eligible for free/reduced-price school meals.
• Site supervisor must attend one-day training at FBSJ, during which regulations that govern food handling, meal distribution, and record keeping are outlined.
• Sites can participate in FBSJ’s SFP for all 12 weeks that the program is available, or just one week (e.g., camps); scheduling is flexible.
• Sites can choose to have breakfast and lunch provided, or lunch and afternoon snacks. The meals are nutritionally balanced according to USDA guidelines, and are provided at no charge.

Application Process

Organizations can apply now to be a Summer Feeding Program site by contacting Falynn Milligan, FBSJ senior manager of direct services, at (856) 425-4612 or fmilligan@foodbanksj.org. The application process remains open until July 31, 2016.

The Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is the leader in providing safe and nutritional food to people in need throughout South Jersey. FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food-insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives. In 2015, FBSJ provided 10 million pounds of food to nearly 200,000 South Jersey residents. FBSJ is a member of Feeding America, our nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. To learn more visit www.foodbanksj.org.