ATLANTIC CITY The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Aug. 18 approved an additional $350,000 to support emergency food services in Atlantic City in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The CRDA has collaborated with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey Southern Branch, Jingoli and Bailey families, AFL-CIO, UNITE Here Local 54 and other casino industry stakeholders and private donors, and funded $300,000 toward the FoodBank's three-month initiative, FeedAC, from May through June. It also raised an additional $300,000 in private funding from business owners Joe Jingoli, Jim Allen, Morris Bailey, the NJ-AFLCIO, Local 54 and Philadelphia Foundation to provide 372,092 pounds of food to 8,065 households that offered 324,000 meals to residents of the greater Atlantic City area.
This first-of-its-kind partnership between state and local governments, the casino industry, and its unions, included Local 54 providing boots-on-the-ground coordination and volunteers support to distribute food.
This new round of funding provides additional food assistance for out-of-work casino workers and Atlantic City residents through walk or drive-up events and in partnership social service agencies.
The next food distribution will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 20 at Bader Field and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis for Atlantic City residents and casino workers.
Registration is required at the Community Food Bank website, https://cfbnj.org/
During the pandemic, the CRDA has funded $949,655 for various community food initiatives, including $23,000 for Jewish Family Services, $80,000 for the Hispanic Association of Atlantic County, and $50,000 for Gateway Community Action Partnership. The CRDA also provided $69,552 for the City of Atlantic City to provide hot meals to seniors and disabled, $75,000 for the Salvation Army Food Pantry, $16,503 for Covenant House and $650,000 for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
The number of families and seniors in need of food services in Atlantic City is significant and the need is immediate. In funding these additional services to the community, the CRDA remains steadfast in its mission of helping the residents of Atlantic City.
The CRDA is funded through a tax on the casino industry and funds economic development opportunities in Atlantic City and throughout New Jersey. Since its inception in 1984, the CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in 400 statewide projects, with $1.8 billion invested in Atlantic City.
Learn more at crdanj.org.
