#BetterTogether: CBS New York partners with Community Food Bank of New Jersey for their 24-hour Pack-a-Thon
NEW YORK - In the United States, more than 33 million Americans are food insecure.
More than 725,000 are in New Jersey. That includes nearly 200,000 children.
As a part of our #BetterTogether campaign, we partner year-round with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey to help put food on the table.
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and CFBNJ is kicking it off with a 24-hour Pack-a-Thon.
It starts Friday, April 5 and ends Saturday, April 6. CBS New York will be there from start to finish to help raise awareness, and donations.
Ahead of the event Elizabeth McCarthy, CFBNJ president and CEO, discussed the annual event on CBS News New York.
McCarthy said volunteers are vital. In 2023, volunteers put in 88,000 hours – the equivalent of about 40 full-time staff. The volunteers pack boxes by type – families, senior citizens, and college students.
McCarthy said the boxes vary because the needs are different per individuals. For example, senior citizen boxes include single serve, lower sodium, and microwavable items.
McCarthy said the need has been even greater since the pandemic and they serve all types of people.
"There is no shame in any of this. Most of the people that come to our pantry are working people that just can't make it to the next paycheck. We really just try to treat everyone with dignity, make sure that we can meet people's needs," she said.
A big part of meeting the needs relies on donations. Click here to make a donation that will be matched only during the 24-hour-pack-a-thon.