Center for Food Action Improving the Lives of Those Living in Poverty

The Center for Food Action (CFA), founded in 1976, is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization that provides emergency services to northern New Jersey’s poorest and most vulnerable residents. CFA provides food, housing, utility, and heating assistance and offers counseling and advocacy services to low-income individuals and families.

CFA is headquartered in Englewood and has sites in Hackensack, Mahwah, Ringwood, and Saddle Brook. In 2014, at the request of Bergen Community College, CFA opened a site on BCC’s Paramus campus in order to serve low-income students and their families.

The mission of the Center for Food Action is to “prevent hunger and homelessness and improve the lives of individuals and families living in poverty.” Their Homelessness Prevention Program provides financial assistance, guidance, and peace of mind to struggling low-income households. They also have a Weekend Snack Pack Program which provides healthy, kid-friendly, and easy to prepare snack foods to children at risk of hunger. CFA has many other programs like their community garden which distributes to local low-income families and their Smile Pack program which encourages kids to exercise proper dental hygiene.