Fewer Hungry In Camden, But Help Still Needed, City Official Says

CAMDEN, NJ — The Summer Food Service Program in Camden is enabling fewer of its residents to have to decide between buying food and paying other bills, the program's coordinator told Patch.

Such programs are needed, data suggest.

About 10 percent of New Jersey residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and about 39 percent of the population of the city of Camden lives at or below the federal poverty level, according to Cathedral Kitchen, a charity that helps feed Camden's hungry.

In addition, the number of Summer Food Service Program sites in the city of Camden is significantly higher than in years past, Arlethia Brown, the senior director of Camden School Nutrition told Patch.

"We [have] 25 site locations available," she said. "That is a significant change. Because in the past, where we did grab and go pick up, we may have had as many as 15 locations available."

The offerings vary based on one's location within the city, according to Brown.

"We have some sites where we're offering both just breakfast and lunch," she said. "Then we have some other sites where we're offering dinner and snacks."

A full list of the sites can be found by contacting the Camden City School District, she said.

The program provides other benefits besides nutritious meals and snacks, Brown said.

"There are so many people that are struggling just to make ends meet," she said. "We're also reducing expenses for families at home and providing a safe place for students to come in and participate in these types of activities."

The Summer Food Service Program in the city of Camden partners with the Food Bank of South Jersey in Pennsauken to get the bulk of the food that is distributed throughout the summer, Brown said.

Therefore, she encouraged anyone wishing to donate food or provide financial support to the Summer Food Service Program to contact the food bank.

Got a news tip? Story idea? Send me an email with the details at janel.miller@patch.com.