Soup Kitchen 411 Selected Again for EDA Funding

HIGHTSTOWN, NJ—The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) created Sustain & Serve NJ in February 2021 to fight COVID-19 affect food insecurity and support local businesses, a niche that Soup Kitchen 411 had established itself in during 2020 when the nonprofit purchased over 35,000 restaurant-prepared meals for this purpose. Since February 2021, the Sustain & Serve NJ grant has been renewed twice, and Soup Kitchen 411 equipped with funding to support local restaurants, while arming soup kitchens and community centers with meals much in demand.

“Nonprofits like Soup Kitchen 411 play a vital role in the economic security of New Jerseyans statewide, optimizing their networks to both connect food-insecure individuals to access to nutritious meals and support their local restaurants,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “Sustain & Serve NJ is a fantastic way to elevate the reach that these nonprofits can have as we work toward a shared goal of alleviating hunger throughout the Garden State.”

This, the third phase of Sustain & Serve NJ will coincide with the launch of a Monmouth County-specific initiative Meals for Monmouth initiative that the nonprofit is executing with county funding. This will not be the organization’s first time administering multiple grants at once. In 2021 the organization administered the first phase of Sustain & Serve NJ concurrently with a $150,000 Grant from Middlesex County. Noting the role of inflation, meals purchased with the Sustain & Serve NJ Grant will increase from $10 to $11.25 each.

“Our goal has always been to make sure that restaurants are active partners in fighting hunger, and well compensated for their work,” said Soup Kitchen 411 Co-Founders Ken DeRoberts and Philip Gentile. “Soup kitchens really rely on these restaurant meals to feed an increasing number of people, as has been the case much of the past 28 months. The Sustain and Serve NJ Grant in particular has been a lifeline for our specific mission.”

In between periods of receiving grants, Soup Kitchen 411 is able to sponsor meal services on a weekly basis, but the goal remains to be able to provide a high number of meals every week regardless of current grant funding. To achieve that, the nonprofit need grassroots donations. To donate to support the work, visit soupkitchen411.com/donate.

Soup Kitchen 411 (@SoupKitchen411 on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook), is a Platinum-rated 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the FeedNJ program with zero full-time staff.

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