ASBURY PARK – A new collaborative effort, comprised of city organizers and community groups, are launching ‘A Summer of Food Justice’ this week. The initiative comes after a February New Jersey Economic Development Authority report ranked the city among its top 20 worst food desert communities across the state.
Led by Interfaith Neighbors’ Building a Healthier More Equitable Community (BHEC) coordinator Karyn Moskowitz, local organizations are coming together to ensure New Jersey-grown, fresh, affordable – or free, and delicious produce will flow into underserved neighborhoods.
“We believe fresh food is a basic human right,” said Moskowitz. “We know that many families in our area are struggling with and suffering from preventable food related diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. A consistent supply of fresh produce will help save lives and work to end nutritional insecurity in our area.”
The initiative is being driven by Community Food Connection, a coalition of area food pantries and community agencies, said Moskowitz, a member of the collective.
“The collaboration is an effort to boost the amount of farm-fresh, local produce that is distributed to local families,” she said. “We are also proud that this program helps to keep our food dollars local and in-state.”
The initiative will continue through late November, the end of the state’s growing season. Families will have access to free produce in the Asbury Park and Red Bank areas every day of the week, except Mondays. Current program participants include:
• Tuesdays: People’s Pantry, KYDS and St. Vincent de Paul
• Wednesdays: Bradley Food Pantry and the Boys & Girls Club
• Thursdays: Mercy Center
• Fridays: JFCS and the Asbury Park Senior Center • Saturdays: MacroBites, United Fellowship Baptist Church
• Sundays: St. Augustine, and The Rebirth Church • Mondays-Saturdays: Lunch Break (Red Bank)
A complete list of pantries dates, times and addresses can be found here.
All produce is grown by Fernbrook Farms, a fifth-generation state farm that is known for its fresh, naturally grown produce, environmental education center, plant nursery and historic inn.
“The goal is to connect 300 families, weekly, to at least four varieties of seasonal fresh produce,” said Theodore Huggins, Fernbrook Farms’ Food programs coordinator. “Helping local families connect to sustainably grown, nutrient dense produce from a historic farm like Fernbrook should bring health and happiness, and we’re excited to share our bounty.”
Organizers say the high cost of any kind of fresh produce as well as a lack of transportation options are the two leading barriers to fresh produce access.
“We appreciate the generosity of the Interfaith-led coalition for Summer of Food Justice.,” said Gwendolyn Love, executive director of Lunch Break. “The Jersey-grown produce will be a welcome addition to the Client Choice pantry. Especially now, in light of our new nutrition initiative, which promotes healthy and fresh food options for our neighbors who are managing debilitating conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. We are proud to be a partner in ensuring the well-being of our community members.” The Summer of Food Justice initiative also features partnerships with City Green and the popular weekly Asbury Fresh Farmers Market. Asbury Fresh has received certification USDA approval to accept SNAP/Food Stamps/EBT at its market, currently running 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, Moskowitz said. City Green has supplied a grant that doubles all purchases through its NJ Good Food Bucks initiative. For example, SNAP participants who swipe for $20 will receive $40 in tokens to spend on fresh food at the market.
Program partners include Sustainable Jersey, which helps municipalities get certified as “food secure,” among other metrics and the Asbury Park Green Team, which leads and coordinates the local level global sustainability movement, thereby ensuring a sustainable future for the City of Asbury Park and its community.
Lunch Break, Brookdale Community College, Monmouth University, NJ Shore Food Not Bombs, and Community Affairs Resource Center will offer free local produce in their food pantries and have been important community partners in this initiative, Moskowitz said. Asbury Park Food Collective, a MOGO Korean Fusion initiative, is providing in-kind cold storage space for the group.
“Funding support was raised by Interfaith Neighbors via Hackensack Meridian Health, BHEC, and other independent donors,” Moskowitz said. “Each Community Food Connection member committed their own resources and time to this movement, but more is needed.”
For more information, including donation opportunities, links to the collaborative partners’ websites, and volunteer opportunities, visit interfaithneighbors.org.
This article originally appeared in the June 30 – July 6, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
