Food bank volunteer opportunities near Newark
Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.
According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.
The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.
It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Newark using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.
PR/Marketing Internship
- Organization: The Borgen Project
- Read more on website
Board Member/purchasing
- Organization: MOBILE MEALS OF WESTFIELD
- Read more on website
Volunteers Needed to Assemble Food Collection Kits
- Organization: Move For Hunger
- Read more on website
Marketing Coordinator
- Organization: PHILOSOPHERS STONE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
- Read more on website
Pantry Support Volunteer - New Life Food Pantry
- Organization: Hunger Free America
- Read more on website
Volunteers Needed to Rescue Food & Fight Hunger In Hoboken!
- Organization: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Inc
- Read more on website
Grocery Shopper- Norwescap RSVP Grocery Assistance Program
- Organization: Norwescap RSVP
- Read more on website
Data Assistant
- Organization: SOUTH JERSEY DREAM CENTER
- Read more on website
Help Reduce Food Waste and Food Insecurity in West Windsor!
- Organization: Food Rescue US
- Read more on website
Kroc Marketplace (Choice Food Pantry)
- Organization: The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center Camden
- Read more on website
Sorting food
- Organization: Norwescap Food Bank
- Read more on website
Share your love of food and fun at Hope Mobile!
- Organization: Center For Family Services
- Read more on website
Emergency Men's Shelter - Lunch Preparer & Server
- Organization: St. Paul's Community Development Corporation
- Read more on website
Food Pantry Volunteer
- Organization: The Urban Health Collaborative
- Read more on website
Help a Neighbor in the Vernon, NJ area with a Homemade Meal
- Organization: Lasagna Love
- Read more on website
Spread love, joy, and frosting in Wayne, NJ as a volunteer baker!
- Organization: FOR GOODNESS CAKES
- Read more on website
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.
