NJ hands out nearly $30 million to nonprofits to address the worst food deserts, including Camden, Pennsauken.

New Jersey recently announced that it would kick off a pilot program to boost food distribution in parts of the state that have been designated as food deserts.

Two New Jersey Economic Development Authority announcements during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season said 73 food access projects would get a total of nearly $30 million, which comes from the state's auction of tax credits.

Grants to nonprofits range from $50,000 to $500,000. The full list of grant recipients and their projects under the Food Equity and Economic Development in New Jersey (FEED NJ) pilot program is here.

"Building on the success of the NJEDA’s Atlantic City Food Security Grants Pilot Program, FEED NJ aims to catalyze innovative, sustainable, and scalable food-security and food-access initiatives with high potential to maximize community-level impact," according to the EDA. 

Under the pilot program, the primary focus food deserts are in sections of Bridgeton, Camden, Fairfield Township, Lawrence Township, Newark, New Brunswick, Passaic City, Paterson, Pennsauken, Salem City, Trenton and Woodlynne.

"A survey of Americans revealed that nearly 70% of people are struggling to afford groceries for their household. That is staggering," said Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman in the announcement last week.

"These grants will help community feeding organizations expand their programs and more effectively address hunger needs in neighborhoods that lack consistent, reliable and affordable access to nutritious food," she said in the statement.