JERSEY CITY, NJ. May 27, 2024 (Biz Republic) — Hudson County Executive Craig Guy hosted the county’s first-ever Food Security Summit. The Summit, organized by the Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services, took place in Jersey City at the Saint Peter’s University Sky Room. The Summit was attended by public health experts and community stakeholders and included a panel discussion as well as award presentations for the Hudson County Hunger Hero Pantry and Hunger Hero Food Provider. The keynote speaker was Director Mark Dinglasan of the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate.
“Food insecurity is unfortunately alive and well in Hudson County and throughout the state,” said County Executive Guy. “During my campaign, I made it a goal to address the issue of food insecurity in our county, and this Summit is the first step in examining the potential root causes of food insecurity and recommendations to counter this. I’d like to thank all the participants of the Summit, including my friend Assemblyman Speaker Craig Coughlin, who has been at the forefront of finding solutions for this problem. I look forward to working with our partners to develop responses to this issue.”
“Collaborative and strategic food security work at the county level is critical to NJ’s food security work. NJOFSA celebrates Hudson County’s food security summit and the ongoing work of the county’s food security task force,” said Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA). “It’s through strong partnerships such as these that NJ can more effectively combat hunger and poverty at its root causes.”
“The fight against food insecurity has been the issue closest to my heart during my time as Speaker,” said Assemblyman Speaker Craig Coughlin. “What I’ve learned is that when we all work together- marshalling our collective resources and sharing our knowledge, we can do great things. I look forward to working with all of you and hearing about the efforts in Hudson County to serve our neighbors in need and to give everyone access to healthy food. This is our moral obligation. And it’s good public policy.”
“Working with partners like the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate is so important to combating hunger and poverty,” said Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services Director Darice Toon. “This Summit brought together diverse voices with the common goal of making sure every Hudson County resident in need of food assistance will not have to worry about where their next meal will come from.” The Summit included 42 pantries and 65 pantry representatives and was sponsored by ShopRite and Honeywell, who provided $2,500 each for the Summit.
