At Thistle, we are committed to reducing food waste to help both people and the planet. When we expanded on the East Coast, we partnered with The Food Bank of South Jersey, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to solve hunger and alleviate food waste in South Jersey.
At Thistle, we are driven to support the communities we serve to get and stay healthy. One of the ways we do this is by partnering with nonprofit organizations to divert excess food ingredients and meals so they can be used to feed people in need. By reducing food waste, together we can help both people and the planet.
Meet the Food Bank of South Jersey
In 1985, the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) joined in the fight against hunger. Today, FBSJ is the leader in providing nutritional food to people in need throughout the South Jersey region. The Food Bank of South Jersey began in 1985 with a mission to end hunger and create food security. Today, the organization works with over 200 agencies to support communities in need in South Jersey’s Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties. Partner agencies work with FBSJ to find placement with a delivery program suitable to their needs, along with necessary food training, nutrition education, and the acquisition of funding through various grants. The FBSJ amplifies this mission through various programs that focus on youth, seniors, mobile food distribution, nutritional education, sustainability. In 2022, the FBSJ distributed 18.5 million pounds of food – that’s the equivalent of more than 15 million meals shared with the community in just one year.
“The Food Bank of South Jersey cannot address the needs of food insecure people outside of partnership. Partnership drives what we do from donation to distribution. We are grateful for companies like Thistle who genuinely care about making a difference. Thank you, Thistle for coming along side of us as we meet peoples urgent need for food here in Southern New Jersey.” – Kristin DeJesus, Senior Manager, Food Sourcing, Food Bank of South Jersey
At Thistle, we’re honored and excited to join in their mission to reduce hunger and be part of the solution to providing nutritious food to South Jersey communities in need. With their help, we’ve provided 3,349 meals (that’s 3586 lbs of food!) to communities in need in the first half of 2023.
Making Food Accessible in Communities We Serve
Through our partnership, the FBSJ currently pairs two local organizations – Ladle of Love Food Pantry and Christian Caring Center – with Thistle to conduct weekly food rescue and recovering of excess meals from our Burlington production facility. The meals are then distributed to communities in need around South Jersey.
The admirable work the FBSJ does to support local communities doesn’t stop there. The FBSJ has several programs that specifically support youth, seniors, and community members who live in “food deserts” via mobile food pantries.
- Kids Thrive 365 – Their youth program includes afterschool snacks, weekend meal packs, Summer meals, and school pantries, all of which focus on providing support to students during and after school hours at little or no cost. This allows students, and their families, the ability to have access to meals that they may not otherwise have due to various circumstances.
- SNRS – Senior Nutrition Resource Supplement – A newer program offered by FBSJ, the Senior Nutrition Resource Supplement program supports New Jersey residents that are 60 or older, are low-income, and request food assistance. It is a monthly food distribution program that provides residents with a mixture of fresh and shelf stable groceries based on senior nutritional needs, with enough food items to last two weeks.
- Mobile Distributions – In addition to the new SNRS program and School Pantry, FBSJ’s mobile food pantry also includes Hope Mobiles to neighborhoods that are in areas known as “food deserts.” A food desert is an area or region in which it is difficult to purchase or access affordable fresh food that is of good quality. These deliveries provide families access to items that they may not otherwise have access to via their local grocer due to availability and or cost. Another newer program includes their Pop Up Pantries that serve to fill the gap for more emergent food insecurity that families can find themselves in due to unforeseen circumstances that make it difficult to access food whether that be transportation, finances, or health-related issues. FBSJ Pop Up Pantries are set up monthly and even bi-weekly in neighborhoods more severely impacted by food insecurity.
Sharing In Our Purpose
The FBSJ deeply aligns with our values of being human and empowering others while approaching all situations with humility, respect and empathy. We’re excited to be working with them to help amplify the important work they are doing in hopes of reducing hunger and making food more accessible and equitable in our communities. Stay tuned for updates on our shared impact at the end of 2023!
At Thistle, we are committed to reducing food waste to help both people and the planet. When we expanded on the East Coast, we partnered with The Food Bank of South Jersey, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to solve hunger and alleviate food waste in South Jersey.
At Thistle, we are driven to support the communities we serve to get and stay healthy. One of the ways we do this is by partnering with nonprofit organizations to divert excess food ingredients and meals so they can be used to feed people in need. By reducing food waste, together we can help both people and the planet.
Meet the Food Bank of South Jersey
In 1985, the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) joined in the fight against hunger. Today, FBSJ is the leader in providing nutritional food to people in need throughout the South Jersey region. The Food Bank of South Jersey began in 1985 with a mission to end hunger and create food security. Today, the organization works with over 200 agencies to support communities in need in South Jersey’s Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties. Partner agencies work with FBSJ to find placement with a delivery program suitable to their needs, along with necessary food training, nutrition education, and the acquisition of funding through various grants. The FBSJ amplifies this mission through various programs that focus on youth, seniors, mobile food distribution, nutritional education, sustainability. In 2022, the FBSJ distributed 18.5 million pounds of food – that’s the equivalent of more than 15 million meals shared with the community in just one year.
“The Food Bank of South Jersey cannot address the needs of food insecure people outside of partnership. Partnership drives what we do from donation to distribution. We are grateful for companies like Thistle who genuinely care about making a difference. Thank you, Thistle for coming along side of us as we meet peoples urgent need for food here in Southern New Jersey.” – Kristin DeJesus, Senior Manager, Food Sourcing, Food Bank of South Jersey
At Thistle, we’re honored and excited to join in their mission to reduce hunger and be part of the solution to providing nutritious food to South Jersey communities in need. With their help, we’ve provided 3,349 meals (that’s 3586 lbs of food!) to communities in need in the first half of 2023.
Making Food Accessible in Communities We Serve
Through our partnership, the FBSJ currently pairs two local organizations – Ladle of Love Food Pantry and Christian Caring Center – with Thistle to conduct weekly food rescue and recovering of excess meals from our Burlington production facility. The meals are then distributed to communities in need around South Jersey.
The admirable work the FBSJ does to support local communities doesn’t stop there. The FBSJ has several programs that specifically support youth, seniors, and community members who live in “food deserts” via mobile food pantries.
- Kids Thrive 365 – Their youth program includes afterschool snacks, weekend meal packs, Summer meals, and school pantries, all of which focus on providing support to students during and after school hours at little or no cost. This allows students, and their families, the ability to have access to meals that they may not otherwise have due to various circumstances.
- SNRS – Senior Nutrition Resource Supplement – A newer program offered by FBSJ, the Senior Nutrition Resource Supplement program supports New Jersey residents that are 60 or older, are low-income, and request food assistance. It is a monthly food distribution program that provides residents with a mixture of fresh and shelf stable groceries based on senior nutritional needs, with enough food items to last two weeks.
- Mobile Distributions – In addition to the new SNRS program and School Pantry, FBSJ’s mobile food pantry also includes Hope Mobiles to neighborhoods that are in areas known as “food deserts.” A food desert is an area or region in which it is difficult to purchase or access affordable fresh food that is of good quality. These deliveries provide families access to items that they may not otherwise have access to via their local grocer due to availability and or cost. Another newer program includes their Pop Up Pantries that serve to fill the gap for more emergent food insecurity that families can find themselves in due to unforeseen circumstances that make it difficult to access food whether that be transportation, finances, or health-related issues. FBSJ Pop Up Pantries are set up monthly and even bi-weekly in neighborhoods more severely impacted by food insecurity.
Sharing In Our Purpose
The FBSJ deeply aligns with our values of being human and empowering others while approaching all situations with humility, respect and empathy. We’re excited to be working with them to help amplify the important work they are doing in hopes of reducing hunger and making food more accessible and equitable in our communities. Stay tuned for updates on our shared impact at the end of 2023!
