As the White House and Congress fail to recognize the dreadful impact SNAP cuts will have on the public, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy is using the opportunity to do what the feds won’t as he hosted a meeting with officials from the 12 Hudson County municipalities announcing a countywide response to imminent cuts caused by the government shutdown.
“In times of crisis, the Hudson County community comes together to help their neighbors. And as this federal government shutdown continues, Hudson County government will be there to provide support for the most vulnerable in our community,” Guy said. “On Thursday, I hosted a phone call with leaders of our 12 municipalities and the Hudson County Board of Commissioners detailing our efforts to make sure no resident goes hungry during this difficult period. We will continue working with local and regional food pantries to make sure their shelves are well-stocked and we will support our local non-profit organizations that provide essential resources to Hudson County residents. I want to thank each of our municipalities for their input, partnership and help in coordinating this effort.”
On the Oct. 30 phone call, leadership from Hudson County’s Department of Family Services and Reintegration, Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Aging and Veterans Affairs outlined details on the county’s plan to ensure families are fed and that nobody goes hungry:
- Hudson County’s Department of Family Services and Reintegration contacted more than 58,000 SNAP benefits recipients to alert clients about the impending changes to the program.
- Hudson County is working with local organizations Hunger Free Unity in the Community, the Coalition for Food and Health Equity and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to have additional food distributions throughout the county.
- Hudson County’s Health and Human Services Department recommended additional funding awards to Hunger Free Unity in the Community and the Coalition for Food and Health Equity to host additional food distributions in the county.
- In coordination with the Hudson County Corrections Department and Department of Aging and Veterans Affairs, staff will deliver food to families housed in motels through Hudson County’s housing assistance program.
- Hudson County continues to distribute weekend meals for school-aged youth through Hoboken Community Center’s pantry, Mercy for My Neighbor,and Hunger Free Unity in the Community.
- Hudson County is accepting donations of food and clothing. Hudson County staff from the Department of Aging and Veterans Affairs will deliver the donations to homebound senior citizens and veterans. If you would like to donate food, please contact hcexec@hcnj.us.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.