3rd Annual Women's Luncheon Raises Funds for Childhood Hunger

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey hosted its 3rd Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon on Friday, March 1 at the Hilton Short Hills. With the generous event sponsorship of Kings Food Markets and the support of the event Chairwomen, table sponsors, attendees, and others, the FoodBank raised more than $244,000 to help feed hungry kids.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey fills the nutrition gap for food insecure children year-round by providing summer food, after-school meals at Kids Cafes, and Family Packs with supplemental food for the weekend.

The 3rd Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon was chaired by Judy Spires, CEO of Kings Food Markets; Jill Gateman, Executive Vice President of PNC Bank; Wendy Lazarus; and Debbi Shedlin.

The luncheon began at 11 am with a Volunteer Hour sponsored by PNC Bank. Light appetizers were prepared by Chef David Viana of Heirloom Kitchen, who competed on this season of Bravo’s Top Chef Kentucky. About 340 attendees assembled hygiene kits for women facing period poverty—a lack of access to period supplies due to financial limitations. The FoodBank will distribute these bags to girls in middle school through its Period Initiative pilot program, which provides free period supplies monthly to women and girls in need throughout Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Somerset counties. Last year alone, one in four American women struggled to pay for necessary period products, which are considered de facto luxury items in states that impose sales tax on them, cost a premium, and are excluded from all state and federal assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

After lunch, the event’s formal program featured an interview with New Jersey native, Chef Tom Colicchio. Born in Elizabeth, Chef Colicchio is the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality. He is notable for his role as producer and head judge on Top Chef for sixteen seasons. He is also a long-standing activist on food issues and has become a mainstay in our nation’s capital, meeting with Congress, working with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, and as an advocate for a food system that values access, affordability, and nutrition for all.

“I’m excited to be the guest speaker at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s 3rd Annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon,” said Colicchio. “The fight against hunger has been a lifelong passion of mine. As a citizen-advocate, restauranteur, father, and New Jersey native, I’m thrilled to play a role in the FoodBank’s work to make food more accessible and more affordable for people in need.”

Chef Colicchio sat down with Joanna Gagis of NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and FoodBank President & CEO Carlos Rodriguez to discuss the state of hunger in New Jersey and its effects on kids’ abilities to reach their full potential.

“Nearly one in seven New Jersey children doesn’t have enough to eat and may face barriers to their physical, mental, and emotional development,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “The FoodBank’s annual Women Fighting Hunger Luncheon helps us raise funds and awareness to put an end to childhood hunger in New Jersey. This year, we were also excited to have our attendees pack hygiene kits during the volunteer hour for women facing period poverty, which occurs in staggeringly high rates among those the FoodBank serves.”

Please contact Nicole Williams, Communications Manager, at nwilliams@cfbnj.org or 908-355-3663 ext. 282 for additional photos and to learn more about the luncheon.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for over 40 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 47 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.