MEND
Rapidly rising food prices over the past couple of years and the March 1, 2023 expiration of pandemic-era expanded SNAP benefits led to an increase in food insecurity across New Jersey. To help low-income families combat these trends, HFNJ provided a $50,000 grant in 2022 and a $65,000 renewal grant in 2023 to support MEND on the Move.
Mend on the Move is a robust model which addresses food insecurity by employing three tactics to get fresh and healthy food to those who are unable to visit food pantries: home deliveries; mobile markets (free monthly farmers markets planned in collaboration with community partners); and food drop-offs at free community fridges and schools.
In the first year of the project, partnerships were formalized with 14 community organizations to host mobile markets, and 92 markets were held at partner organization locations. Each market served an average of 95 families. Through home delivery in 2022 and 2023, a total of 22,853 servings of food were distributed.
A signature of the MEND on the Move program is that is culturally responsive and respectful of the individual, taking individual food preferences into account. MEND’s focus on local food sourcing also provides many benefits to the local community. 43% of program spending in 2022 went to local purchases – which supports the local economy, reduces transportation costs, and results in fresher, healthier foods for clients (fresh fruits & veggies vs. canned and boxed items).