Those involved with food banks across central New Jersey are working to alleviate hunger, a persistent problem plaguing families and individuals across the state.
The number of those experiencing hunger continues to rise in New Jersey, according to a study by Feeding America, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about hunger in the United States.
The “Hunger in America 2014” study, which focused on clients of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, showed that 90 percent of those families are food-insecure and 75 percent buy inexpensive food just to satisfy their hunger, though it might be unhealthy.
Food banks like the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services (MCFOODS) in New Brunswick are working to bring the statistics to an all-time low, according to Jennifer Apostol, coordinator of the county network.
“We are doing our best every day to provide food and meet the needs of those who need our help, and we work hard to share our resources with everyone we can possibly reach out to,” Apostol said. “Hunger is just a difficult and awful situation.”