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After receiving a $500,000 grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Community FoodBank of New Jersey will team up with on-demand delivery platform DoorDash to help get groceries to food insecure senior citizens.

As part of the initiative, more than 500 seniors in Atlantic City will receive two boxes per month of grant-funded fresh produce and nonperishable staples delivered via DoorDash.

Following a planning and enrollment period, CFBNJ said it expects to launch the program in the coming months.

The funding will be administered through the Atlantic City Food Security Grant Program, a new effort that seeks to strengthen food access and food security.

Elizabeth McCarthy, president and CEO of CFBNJ, commented, “Seniors and Atlantic City residents are populations for whom food insecurity is a tremendous challenge. We’re grateful that this funding from the NJEDA will allow us to launch a program that fits in with our efforts to tailor our work to the unique needs of the different communities and demographics we serve.”

She noted that the initiative will help expand the reach and impact of her organization’s efforts to feed seniors in Atlantic City.

22% food insecurity rate

Besides being a designated food desert – a community with limited access to affordable, nutritious foods – Atlantic City has a 22% food insecurity rate. That’s higher than Atlantic County’s rate of 15.1% and more than double the statewide estimate, CFBNJ said.

According to 2020 U.S. Census data, nearly 6,000 Atlantic City residents are over the age of 65. Of that group, 35% have incomes at or below the federal poverty line.

Limited financial resources, health concerns and lack of reliable transportation are several factors that put seniors at significantly higher risk of food insecurity and diet-related chronic diseases, CFBNJ said.

As the largest anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization in the state, CFBNJ distributes 108 million pounds of food and provides 90 million meals annually through its more than 800 community partners. Those include local soup kitchens, pantries and shelters.

Since 2018, DoorDash’s Project Dash has partnered with hundreds of food banks and food pantries across the country to deliver more than 100 million meals to people experiencing food insecurity.

In a statement, Daniel Riff, the company’s head of government and nonprofit operations, said: “Home delivery ensures that charitable food can reach seniors and other people experiencing food insecurity – overcoming barriers like access to transportation, food deserts, and physical limitations. We’re excited that the NJEDA is supporting this crucial work so the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can leverage the best of what each of us does to expand food access.”