Mercer County Establishes New Office Of Food Security

MERCER COUNTY, NJ - The Mercer County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance recently, establishing a new Mercer County Office of Food Security. The ordinance was signed by County Executive Dan Benson last week.

The new office will tackle the challenge of food insecurity by identifying and eliminating barriers that stand between residents and access to a stable diet of nutritious food.

“Food insecurity is a silent epidemic, one that afflicts even the wealthiest counties and states,” Benson said. “In Mercer County, we’re fortunate to work with dedicated service providers who work with families, the unhoused, people living with disabilities, and those struggling with substance abuse issues. Still, many of these partners are struggling to meet their clients’ needs, including basic meals. This new office will help fill the gap to ensure Mercer County residents don’t go hungry.”

The Office of Food Security will be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Services and is funded through an American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grant secured by Mercer County. The office will direct funding to invest with agencies, partners, and organizations that are dedicated to fighting hunger in Mercer County, prioritizing five key initiatives that will drive down food insecurity:

• Grants to establish a Food Hub which will serve the most vulnerable residents in the City of Trenton

• Fresh food grants to meet the demand of existing food pantries, nonprofits, and community organizations

• Collaboration with existing stakeholders on data sharing agreements and opportunities to mine data toward solutions-oriented initiatives

• Grants for nonprofits to implement innovative projects and measures

• A restaurant voucher pilot program that will engage with culturally diverse restaurants and/or independent small grocery stores to create a voucher program for Latino families and older individuals experiencing food insecurity

More information about these funding opportunities will be made available on the county website in the coming weeks.

“Some reports indicate that the cost of groceries has gone up by 25 percent in New Jersey since the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have all heard stories of people who have had to decide whether to pay a bill or put food on their tables,” Taraun Tice McKnight, Esq., Deputy County Administrator and Director of the Department of Human Services, said in a statement.

“The Office of Food Security will work with area organizations and find innovative ways to address food insecurity because no one should be forced to live without basic needs like nutritious food.”

County Commissioner Vice-Chair Kristen McLaughlin said that creating the new office was an important step to support collaboration between the government, service providers, and residents.

“As Commissioners, we hear from residents struggling to put food on the table, and we’re excited to work with the Benson Administration to find practical solutions to address these needs,” McLaughlin said.

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