Summit Soup Kitchen + Nonprofit Receives Grants From NJEDA

SUMMIT, NJ — As part of an initiative to support New Jersey restaurants and families in need, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is awarding grants, totaling $17.5 million, to 30 nonprofit organizations in the state.

Through the NJEDA's Sustain & Serve NJ program, The Summit Foundation — an organization that addresses the needs of Summit residents — and a soup kitchen located in Summit will receive funds as part of this initiative.

Sustain & Serve NJ provides nonprofit organizations with grants to support the purchase of meals from NJ restaurants that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and the distribution of those meals at no cost to recipient, according to the NJEDA.

The additional $17.5 million in awards announced Friday brings total program funding to $52.5 million.

“Sustain & Serve NJ has become a national model for addressing food insecurity, supporting small businesses that are the heartbeat of our downtowns, and providing funding to the nonprofit entities that deliver vital services,” said Acting NJ Governor Sheila Y. Oliver. “Combatting hunger remains a top priority and it is more critical than ever that nonprofits have the resources they need to feed the people within their communities.”

According to the NDEDA, this program first launched during the pandemic as a $2 million pilot program to boost restaurants impacted by COVID. It has now grown into an over $50 million program that continues to bring food to people in need across New Jersey.

Since Feb. 2021, Sustain & Serve NJ has supported the purchase of more than 3.5 million meals from over 400 restaurants in all 21 counties with grants totaling $35 million.

Phase 3 of the program is funded by $10 million allocated by Gov. Phil Murphy from the federal American Rescue Plan and approximately $7.5 million in state funding. Funding from this latest phase is expected to support the purchase of an additional 1.5 million meals.

The NJEDA also aims to eliminate food deserts in the state, as well as bolster the state's child care sector. In addition, The NJEDA is working with partners statewide to create a Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton as part of First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ initiative to make New Jersey the safest and most equitable place to give birth in the country.

Soup Kitchen 411, located at 120 Morris Ave. in Summit, will receive additional funding. The soup kitchen organized food drives and food pick-ups. Those who are looking to volunteer at the soup kitchen can visit their website to learn more.

In the last five years, The Summit Foundation has invested $5.3 million in the Summit community through grants, scholarships, community-supported funds and donor-advised distributions. You can learn more about their work on their website.

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