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Creating Communities that Nourish Children

The New Jersey Food for Thought Campaign works toward a day when every single New Jersey child has healthy food to eat, every single day.

An effective partnership of anti-hunger, health, community and education organizations, the New Jersey Departments of Agriculture and Education and national partners, the campaign has resulted in tens of thousands more New Jersey children receiving healthy food every single day. 

We help communities tap into federal dollars to feed hungry children through school breakfast, summer meals and afterschool meals.

About us

We help get kids fed!

School Breakfast

Since 2010, the year after the campaign's launch, the number of children receiving school breakfast has soared 65 percent.

Summer Meals

In just three years, the number of children receiving healthy food in the summer jumped 38 percent.

Afterschool Meals

A growing number of New Jersey communities are serving afterschool suppers and snacks.

More money for meals

Federal reimbursements for school breakfast, summer and afterschool meals has grown to about $180 million -- tens of millions more than when the campaign started.

Tools to feed kids

By the Numbers

Good data drives good decisions. Find district-level data for school breakfast.

Advocate!

Fact sheets, data, videos, success stories, testimonials, how-tos. It’s all here to help you convince school and community leaders that feeding kids is not only necessary, it’s do-able.

Resources

Find resources from state and national organizations to help advocate and implement all three child nutrition programs.

The latest news & reports about feeding NJ kids

USDA extends waivers

September 2, 2020

he USDA has extended summer meals waiver through Dec. 31. This makes it much easier for schools and other organizations to feed all children for free.

Read More »

When breakfast is served during the school day, just like lunch, many more children start their day with the nutrition they need to learn and succeed. Find tools to advocate for and implement smart school breakfast strategies.

Let's serve school breakfast!

When school is out, hunger sets in for children who rely on school meals. Summer meals fill that nutrition gap, while giving children safe places to play and learn.

Let's serve summer meals!
afterschool meals NJ

Good nutrition and engaging activities in the afternoon add up to better health and learning for children. More New Jersey communities are serving afterschool snacks and suppers — but there’s plenty of room to grow.

Let's serve afterschool meals!

Help feed kids in your own backyard.

Learn how to convince your school and local leaders to create a community that nourishes children.

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110 million
Each year to provide school breakfast to nearly 300,000 students.
11 million
Each summer to provide summer meals to nearly 95,000 children.
19 million
Federal dollars left on the table for school breakfast and summer meals.

More meals means more dollars to feed children

Federal child nutrition programs provide dollars to schools, local government and non-profit community organizations to feed children breakfast, summer and afterschool meals.

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New Jersey Food for Thought Campaign

Hunger Free New Jersey leads the New Jersey Food for Thought Campaign. We welcome new partners!

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