Chronicling Feeding Progress in New Jersey

Nutrition challenges haunt many families across the country, especially in New Jersey. How can so many face food insecurity in a land of plenty? Without the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and food banks across New Jersey, many people would be at greater risk of malnutrition, including children who require adequate sustenance to become healthy adults.  

How do you connect the needs of the socio-economically disadvantaged in low income neighborhoods to healthy food access?  It’s a dire situation aggravated by the state’s fiscal troubles.  Montclair State University’s School of Communication & Media set out to address some of these concerns through its work with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ).

Student Elaina Crow worked with CFBNJ to help produce video packages that can be used as public service announcements, with the express intent of highlighting the crucial work of the food bank.  Through Dr. Larry Londino’s Advanced Televsion Production course, Crow was able to tell the story, through the use of compelling visuals and a persuasive narrative, of the food distribution process as well as the community’s malnutrition education and prevention programs. These highlights also reported on some of the lesser-known services of CFBNJ educational mission and outreach efforts, such as Kid’s Café, a program that provides nutrition assistance and education in partnership various safe-haven programs around the state.

Reflecting on the project, Crow says she has a new understanding of the reach and impact of CFBNJ.  It’s more than a warehouse facility in Hillside.  With the food distribution, school supplies, clothing, and various job-training programs supported through CFBNJ, the facility also represents hope. “They touch so many lives,” she said.  As to her part in addressing inequality, Elaina hopes the footage helps to break down stereotypes of people who may be in need. People of all walks of life may one day need assistance from a place like CFBNJ and according to Elaina, “You really don’t know who’s hungry just by looking at them.”

Another student, Lexi Bohigian and her team also worked with CFBNJ as part of their Mediated Organizations course taught by Dr. Todd Kelshaw. By collaborating with the marketing team at the food bank, Lexi’s team set out to plan ways in which the food bank’s marketing team could spread the word about its program while reducing or eliminating costs where possible. Limited budgets are an ever present challenge to nonprofit organizations, so any communication recommendations from the students had to be vigilant of costs.  The hope is that these strategies and tactics will further support the mission of CFBNJ as it works to feed over one million people each year.

The impact of this work has had a strong effect on Lexi and her team. They acknowledged that CFBNJ’s scope of work and the issue of hunger in the state are larger than they had expected. Understanding the larger need and factors that cause the situation has helped the students use collaborative methods to work toward “real and lasting change,” as described by Lexi. She related feeling heartbroken thinking about the high levels of inequality as some New Jersey citizens do not know where their next meal may come from, and others have a great abundance of resources. Through advocacy and support of the food bank, she believes there is a chance to build economic and social equality. When asked what she hopes may happen from her work, Lexi responded, “I hope this project worked to address the growing inequality in our state and creates a growth in donations for CFBNJ.”