by Dana DiFilippo, New Jersey Monitor
As Trump administration officials move to suspend federal food assistance for 42 million Americans starting Saturday, New Jersey residents looking to food pantries for help have plenty of options.
About 813,000 low-income New Jersey residents across more than 436,000 households are expected to lose benefits they receive under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called food stamps.
Need help? New Jersey food banks can connect you to a food pantry near you:
- The Community Food Bank of New Jersey partners with more than 800 agencies and community groups that run food pantries in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties. Search by zip code for food pantries in those counties here.
- The Food Bank of South Jersey has a searchable map here of over 150 food distribution sites in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties, as well as a list of locations of mobile and school food pantries.
- Fulfill provides food to nearly 300 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes, and more in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Check out Fulfill’s list of food pantries and soup kitchens here and mobile food pantry sites here.
- Mercer Street Friends in Trenton partners with more than 100 pantries in Central Jersey. They have a free food-finder tool here.
- Norwescap provides supplies for food pantries, soup kitchens, and child care and senior centers in Warren, Hunterdon, and Sussex counties. For Warren, look here, Sussex here, and Hunterdon here.
- To find food assistance through the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, which is based in Vineland, call 856-327-3145.
The state lists food pantries in 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties here.
Many universities — including Rutgers, Rowan, and Ramapo — have food pantries on campus. Many are open to staff and administrators, as well as students.
Several counties direct residents to food assistance on their websites, including:
- Bergen County lists food pantries in about 40 towns here.
- Camden County lists pantries, home-delivered meals, related resources, and even a bagel cafe offering free bagels during the federal government shutdown here.
- Cape May County offers this list of pantries.
- Essex County lists eight pages of food pantries and soup kitchens here.
- Gloucester County lists 10 churches and groups that provide food assistance here.
- Hunterdon County’s pantries are listed here.
- Middlesex County has a 29-page list of food assistance resources here.
- Morris County lists its food pantries, meal services, and volunteer shopper programs here.
- Somerset County offers this list of food assistance programs.
- Union County lists about 50 pantries and kitchens here.
- Warren County has more than 25 pantries, from Allamuchy to Washington, here.
Catholic Charities also runs food pantries in Dover, Franklin, Trenton, Brick, Burlington, Paterson, Phillipsburg, and more.
The New Jersey Food Council has also put together a list of groups and agencies that provide food assistance information and resources for shoppers affected by the SNAP funding lapse.
People who need assistance are recommended to call first, because hours vary. While some sites welcome walk-ins, others require appointments and may ask for proof of residency and/or income. Some distribute pre-packed bags of groceries, while others are set up more like supermarkets, where visitors can select what they want.
Most food pantries, soup kitchens, and other programs that help people in need welcome both financial donations and volunteers to stock shelves, distribute food, serve meals, and help with holiday drives.
The government’s SNAP suspension comes during the fifth week of the government shutdown. The Trump administration has held a hard line on funding for the program, refusing to release contingency funds meant to ensure payments continue through shutdowns, as a way to force Democrats to agree to a GOP plan to reopen the government.
State officials rushed $42.5 million in already-budgeted state funding to the state’s six biggest food banks on Friday to better prepare for the surge of visitors expected at food pantries and soup kitchens.
A coalition of states, including New Jersey, has sued the federal government over the SNAP lapse.
The fate of federal benefits paid through the federal Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, program also remains uncertain. But New Jersey Department of Health officials said this week they expect funding for WIC benefits and services will continue without interruption through November. About 186,000 women, infants, and children were enrolled in WIC in New Jersey in 2024, according to Advocates for Children of New Jersey.