CREST HAVEN – The county commissioners have done some fine-tuning to their measure that provides a one-time funding supplement to food pantries around the county.
The original resolution approving the funding authorized payments of $14,000 each to eight food pantries, for a total of $112,000.
On Wednesday, Nov. 12, the commissioners removed the Family Success Center from the list and replaced it with The Branches. In addition, the payment to St. Peter’s Methodist Church was redesignated as going to the Ocean City Ecumenical Council, whose food cupboard is located at St. Peter’s.
The number of recipients and total funding being disbursed did not change.
At that Nov. 12 commission meeting, Commissioner Will Morey, reporting for the county homelessness ad hoc committee, said the state Department of Human Services teamed up with the county Office of Emergency Management, Lower and Middle townships and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey for an emergency food distribution on Nov. 8.
“The event was planned and turned around in about 2 1/2 days, so it was really put together quite expeditiously,” Morey said.
He said the Department of Human Services held an emergency meeting with social service and human services directors around the state, as well as 17 school districts with moderate to high levels of SNAP recipients.
“In Cape May County, there was concern about over 2,000 SNAP families in the Lower and Middle township school districts that were off last week for fall break during a time the SNAP benefits were paused,” Morey said.
He said the food distribution event targeted the school districts, but no one was turned away, and the event served more than 100 households, which was more than expected. He thanked the Lower and Middle Township chambers of commerce for their members’ volunteer help.
Morey described volunteering in the county as “quite exceptional,” and said the role of the county commissioners was to “provide and aid with resources,” which he said was the case on Nov. 8.
Contact the reporter, Chrstopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
