Beson calls on Monmouth County Commissioner Kiley to approve the use of federal Covid relief  funds to help FULFILL battle food insecurity

Ocean County gave out CARE funds to Fulfill, why won’t Monmouth do the same?

Ocean Township, Monmouth County –In the last year, millions of Americans have turned to food banks for the first time.  In our community, 37% more people visited Fulfill, the food bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, than the year prior. In the last year, Fulfill has fed approximately 105,000 Monmouth county residents, approximately one in six residents.  With this significant increase in demand, more resources are needed. Ocean County invited Fulfill to apply for funding through the CARES Act, providing $355,258 in funding. In Monmouth County, when  Fulfill leadership asked Monmouth County to do the same, Commissioner Kiley maintained that funding could not be granted through the CARES Act. Despite Fulfill submitting a copy of the final grant award from Ocean County directly to Commissioner Kiley. “The decision by Commissioner Kiley is utterly incomprehensible since Fulfill was able to secure such funding from Ocean County.” Beson said

Why have Sue Kiley and the Monmouth County Commissioners not provided funding, when Fulfill is battling food insecurity from one in six Monmouth County residents?

“I call on Sue Kiley and the Monmouth County Commissioners to follow Ocean County’s lead and use Federal  funds to help Fulfill meet the increased food insecurity demand. As one of the wealthiest counties in the country, it is unacceptable any of our residents go hungry. As a former Fulfill Board of Trustees member, I know first hand the excellent work this organization does to provide the safety net our community needs,” said Monmouth County Commissioner candidate Mike Beson.

In the past year, Fulfill has provided 3.3 million more meals in Monmouth County than the previous year at a cost of $4.7 million. Under the leadership of CEO Kim Guadagno, Fulfill has stepped up time and time again this past year, now it is time for Sue Kiley and the Monmouth County Commissioners to do the same.

Beson added, “The refusal to fund Fulfill is made even worse by the fact that Monmouth County thought it prudent to spend nearly $1 million to hire an outside contractor to administer its grant programs, when other counties were able to administer the same programs for free through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.”

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Mike Beson is a small business owner in Monmouth County. His company, Guide Publications, specializes in online recruitment tools that have matched thousands of job seekers with new careers. Mike has had a lifelong passion for public service, first serving as the Mayor of Neptune Township, and later on the Ocean Township Board of Education. Mike’s success as a business owner and former elected official gives him the vision, and experience to best serve Monmouth County residents as their County Commissioner. Mike and his wife have 4 kids, a granddaughter and 3 dogs.