the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, after successfully fulfilling its mission to deliver $1 million in economic relief to local restaurants and 100,000 hot and healthy meals to those facing food insecurity in Bergen County, the HealthBarn Foundation and its partners are committing to continuing the ‘Feed the Frontlines: Helping Those In Need’ initiative. The nonprofit is seeking a second grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s ‘Sustain and Serve’ program after state lawmakers approved $10 million in additional funding for the NJEDA’s effort last week. The legislation has Governor Murphy’s support and is expected to be signed into law later this month.
“We’ve demonstrated that we can get the job done with a dynamic model comprised of restaurants, charities, and an army of volunteers. We’re committed to advancing our ‘Feed the Frontlines & Helping Those in Need’ program to provide even more healthy and nutritious meals to Bergen County residents,” said Stacey Antine, MS, RDN, Founder and Director of the HealthBarn Foundation. “Even as the threat of COVID-19 subsides, we now know firsthand the need within an affluent area like Bergen County. Our partners, including the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and Bergen County Food Security Task Force, are ready for the sequel hopefully coming late summer.”
Thursday’s event will celebrate the 400 plus volunteers who delivered the 100,000 hot meals through local food pantries, charities, and organizations identified by the Bergen County Food Security Task Force spearheaded by Commissioner Tracy Zur. Ridgewood’s participating restaurants will also be recognized at the event.
“To see the response of the community and all the moving parts that came together to make this program a success is a testament to the dedication of all those involved,” said Zur. “This is a critical initiative not only for Bergen County but for the entire state, especially as we cautiously emerge from the pandemic.”
The volunteer drivers made more than 2,000 trips totaling 1,218 hours and delivered to 217 locations every week.
“The Bergen County volunteer network, particularly Ridgewood residents, are the driving force behind the Feed the Frontlines initiative. The dedication and generosity of our drivers and administrative team is astounding. We are all committed to doing what we can to help those in need, and we are prepared to support the next phase of this program.” said Jeanne Johnson, a community organizer in Ridgewood who coordinated the initiative’s transportation efforts. “The framework is in place, and we’re ready to roll day one when a second grant is approved.”
In addition to the meals, the effort also provided $1 million for local restaurants. The partnerships were coordinated by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and translated into 10,000 of paid worker hours for dozens of local employees over the three-month period.
“As we begin this new chapter of ‘Feed the Frontlines’ – we will use our past success as a model for the next step in continuing the effort to not only help the hungry but also get the economic assistance to local restaurants that still need our support,” says Scott Lief, President of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve proven that it can be a resounding success, with businesses not only able to keep people employed, but also allow them to hire additional workers. Our goal is to continue to work together and provide the aid that’s needed.”
The NJEDA’s ‘Sustain and Serve’ program provided a total of $14.2 million in grants to 28 nonprofits in February. The HealthBarn Foundation was awarded $1 million and provided the funding for the ‘Feed the Frontlines: Helping Those In Need’ program. HealthBarn, the Ridgewood Chamber, and its partners were able to fulfill the grant’s requirements ahead of schedule.
“We are ready, willing, and able to take on the challenge again. In just three months, we were able to exceed the state’s requirements and get the aid out to all those in need,” said Antine. “We remain dedicated to delivering healthy, hot, nutritious meals while helping restaurants stay in business.”
Oh my god, throw them out and raze the place.
I thought “frontlines” meant hospital workers, firemen, police, aides, etc.. Its admirable but not a “frontline” program; it is a food bank, a meals on wheels, and helps restaurants. But not “frontlines”. Wrong name.
This is what happens when you have so much money to spend beyond what is really needed.
Remember, in socialist countries the connected get rich, sometimes very rich.
Here in Washington & Trenton the connected are already getting rich.
Who’s cross checking their claims that the food was actually distributed?
Also when you give this money to charities and food banks, they can feed the needy at 3-4$ per person, not 22$ per person which health barn spent on expensive Ridgewood restaurants.
Always looking at the negative, Debbie downers in the face of people trying to do good. Instead of complaining, get out and do it yourself and do it better. Else stop throwing stones.
And what was Healthbarns cut? Let’s see those tax returns.
Sounds like a sham. Who is behind this and what did the owner of healthbarn foundation take for herself? Everyone get paid even charity owners