FirstEnergy Foundation awards $1.3 million to 25 New Jersey hunger-relief organizations
NEW JERSEY — The FirstEnergy Foundation is awarding $1.3 million in grants to 25 New Jersey food banks and pantries as part of its largest investment in hunger relief to date, with the funding expected to provide more than 3.8 million meals across the state.
The grants, announced during Hunger Action Month, are part of a $5 million initiative supporting nearly 150 hunger-relief organizations across six states and the District of Columbia.
In New Jersey, grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 are going to organizations serving communities within Jersey Central Power & Light’s service area. The foundation expanded its support to 25 organizations this year, including three first-time recipients, and increased funding for several of the state’s larger food banks, pantries and hunger-relief organizations.
According to Feeding America, more than 1.2 million New Jersey residents, or 13% of the state’s population, experienced food insecurity in 2024, including approximately one in six children.
“No one should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, especially in a state nicknamed the Garden State. People across New Jersey are feeling real pressure right now. Costs are going up, and food is one more thing stretching household budgets. Food banks and pantries are working every day to meet growing needs, but they can’t do it alone. This investment will help provide more than 3.8 million meals for New Jersey families, seniors and children while strengthening the organizations on the front lines of hunger relief. We’re proud to support their work and to stand beside them through volunteer service in the communities we call home,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s President of New Jersey.
Among the recipients are several organizations serving northwest New Jersey, including Norwescap, which serves Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties; Project Self-Sufficiency in Sussex County; and multiple organizations serving Morris County.
“The FirstEnergy Foundation has provided invaluable support to Project Self-Sufficiency and the low-income families and individuals we serve. As the need grows, they have been right by our side. Together, we are making a transformational impact on hunger,” said Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director, Project Self-Sufficiency.
The 25 New Jersey grant recipients are:
- A Need We Feed — Serving Ocean County
- Bradley Food Pantry — Serving coastal Monmouth County
- Community FoodBank of New Jersey — Serving Essex, Morris, Passaic and Union counties
- Feeding Middlesex County — Serving Middlesex County
- Food Bank Network of Somerset County — Serving Somerset County
- Freehold Area Open Door — Serving central Monmouth County
- Fulfill — Serving Monmouth and Ocean counties
- Hands of Hope for the Community — Serving Middlesex County
- The Helping Hand Food Pantry — Serving Monmouth and Ocean counties
- Hope House Food Pantry — Serving Morris County
- Interfaith Food Pantry Network — Serving Morris County
- Interfaith Neighbors — Serving coastal and southern Monmouth County
- Jersey Shore Dream Center — Serving coastal Monmouth County
- Lacey Township Food Bank — Serving Ocean County
- Lunch Break — Serving northern and coastal Monmouth County
- Mercy Center — Serving coastal and southern Monmouth County
- N.J. Rise — Serving Mercer County
- Nourish Asbury Food Pantry operated by Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Monmouth County — Serving coastal Monmouth County
- nourish.NJ — Serving Morris County
- Norwescap — Serving Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties
- Project Self-Sufficiency — Serving Sussex County
- Salvation Army Dover Corps — Serving Morris County
- Somebody C.A.R.E.S. — Serving Ocean County
- Table of Hope — Serving Morris County
- Trinity Center For Community — Serving Monmouth County
A Need We Feed, Freehold Area Open Door and The Helping Hand Food Pantry are first-time recipients of a FirstEnergy Foundation Hunger Action Month grant.
In addition to the grants, JCP&L employees volunteer with food banks, pantries and other nonprofit organizations through FirstEnergy’s Volunteer Time Off program.
FirstEnergy employees contributed approximately 28,500 volunteer hours across the company’s service territory in 2025, including thousands of hours supporting hunger-relief organizations. The company said those hours represented more than $1 million in additional community support based on the 2025 national value of a volunteer hour of $36.14.
