Official Site of The State of New Jersey

This work in approximately five words: Countywide coordination to expand participation

The Burlington County Food Security Coalition project is supported by OFSA's Building Expanded Access to Nutritious School Meals (BEANS) grant program. Burlington County, with emergency food providers and local and regional food banks, is establishing a countywide Food Security Coalition to strengthen coordination among organizations working to address food insecurity and expand access to school nutrition programs.

Building on the County's existing partnerships and outreach infrastructure, the project will increase awareness and utilization of New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility (NJEIE), improve school meal application submission rates, and expand participation among eligible public and non-public schools. Outreach will promote the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and other available child nutrition programs while helping families understand and access available benefits.

The Food Security Coalition will coordinate outreach and engagement among school districts, non-public schools, healthcare providers, food assistance organizations, and other community partners. Project activities will include technical assistance and educational presentations, targeted outreach through the County's LIFT UP program and Summer Meals events, and distribution of multilingual school meal enrollment materials. Partners will also strengthen referral networks to connect families with nutrition benefits and supportive services.

The project will use available data to identify and prioritize communities with the greatest need, helping partners target outreach and resources where they can have the greatest impact. By bringing organizations together through a coordinated countywide framework, the Coalition will strengthen communication and referral pathways, increase awareness and participation in school nutrition programs, and support more equitable access to nutritious school meals for Burlington County families.

This project supports the New Jersey Food Security Strategic Plan through Strategy 3.2 County-level Coordination.