BY ANTHONY ORLANDO
New Jersey Urban News
Feeding America has revealed that, as of 2024, over 1.2 million people in NJ are food insecure, nearly double the total recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food-insecure residents, including roughly 330,000 children, make up one-eighth of the state’s population, Feeding America stated. Hudson County has the highest food insecurity rate in the state, at 19.1% of the population, according to the NJ Department of Health.
Vanessa Hawthorne, communications strategist at the Center for Food Action NJ, said that multiple factors have contributed to food insecurity in New Jersey. She specifically cited the state’s rising cost of living, which has forced residents to prioritize rent over groceries.
A study conducted by MyPerfectResume found that New Jersey experienced the largest decline in purchasing power out of any U.S. state between 2020 and 2024, leaving residents unable to keep up with inflation and rising living costs.
Hawthorne claims food insecurity has risen, at least in part, because the Trump Administration slashed federal funding and implemented new SNAP eligibility requirements through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Since the legislation was passed in July 2025, SNAP enrollment in NJ has fallen from roughly 816,000 to 775,000 New Jerseyans, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
In New Jersey, the SNAP program costs the state $1.9 billion annually, with the federal government covering much of the cost. However, the Trump Administration’s new policies are expected to cut SNAP funding for NJ by $150 million to $280 million annually by 2030.
Melissa Acree, chief executive officer at NJ211, said the nonprofit has received 10,709 requests for food assistance in 2025, and she expects that number to rise to 13,000 to 14,000 this year. NJ211 has received most calls from Essex, Middlesex, Camden, Hudson, Bergen, and Passaic counties.
“People who have never needed help before, who may be working, may be working two jobs, are looking for assistance. Whether it’s food or other things… they’re not alone,” Acree said in an interview.
Though SNAP continues to support the NJ residents who qualify, everyone in the state experiencing food insecurity still requires an estimated total of $920 million to buy enough food to meet their nutritional needs.
The Community Foodbank of New Jersey found that 45% of state residents experiencing food insecurity may not qualify for SNAP benefits, for example, because they earn slightly more than the program’s income threshold, leaving a vulnerable population without proper support.
Hawthorne recalled one family who came to the CFA because of this inability to access proper benefits. One of the family’s teenage daughters was forced to seek part-time employment to help her parents pay for basic necessities and purchase a prom dress for herself. However, that increase in income eventually made them ineligible for SNAP.
“Unfortunately, there’s some misconception about SNAP, and about people getting handouts, and people who aren’t working, and that’s really not the case,” Hawthorne added. “This is just a resource for people who are doing their best, and they just need a little bit more support.”
Local advocates offered solutions to help overcome barriers to obtaining SNAP benefits. With children set to return to school this fall, Hawthorne encouraged families to submit school meal applications. She said this would ensure children receive breakfast and lunch at school and help families qualify for the summer EBT program and receive additional money to buy groceries.
Likewise, Acree encouraged food-insecure people to see if they’re eligible for utility assistance programs that can help them pay for heat, gas, and electricity. She also urged them to check their eligibility for childcare subsidies to increase their food budget.
“I think the more attention this [issue] gets, the more solutions and partners can come together to make the right changes; the right advocacy, the right legislation, will happen,” said Acree.
