The FirstEnergy Foundation is supporting local communities as part of its Hunger Action Month initiative – awarding $600,000 in grants to 21 New Jersey food banks and pantries.
This is part of the foundation’s initiative in granting $2.5 million to 104 hunger relief organizations in New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, marking the foundation’s largest hunger-relief investment.
The foundation’s grants will provide about 2 million meals to families in communities served by Jersey Central Power & Light, a division of FirstEnergy Corp.
Feeding America and the U.S. Department of Agriculture say food insecurity is a growing crisis in the United States. Over 1 million people – 11.7% of the population – in New Jersey face food insecurity because of rising prices, climate-related disruptions and supply-chain vulnerabilities.
“The FirstEnergy Foundation is serving up can-do energy – collaborating with vital local organizations to reduce hunger and increase the availability of healthy, nutritious meals during Hunger Action Month,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s president of New Jersey.
Foodbanks receiving grants are:
- Bradley Food Pantry (Neptune City, Monmouth County) – $15,000.
- Catholic Charities’ Hope House (Dover, Morris County) – $15,000.
- Community Foodbank of N.J. (Hillside, Union County) – $25,000.
- Community of Hope Ministries/Churches United for People (Spotswood, Middlesex County) – $10,000.
- Dermer Dreams (Fair Haven, Monmouth County) – $2,500.
- Feeding Middlesex County (Edison, Middlesex County) – $15,000.
- Foodbank Network of Somerset County (Bound Brook, Somerset County) – $25,000.
- Fulfill (Neptune, Monmouth County) – $75,000.
- Hands of Hope (Edison, Middlesex County) – $15,000.
- Interfaith Food Pantry Network (Morris Plains, Morris County) – $75,000.
- Jersey Shore Dream Center (Neptune City, Monmouth County) – $15,000.
- JFCSMC Nourish Pantry (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $7,500.
- Lacey Township Food Bank (Forked River, Ocean County) – $15,000.
- Lunch Break (Red Bank, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- Mercy Center (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- NORWESCAP (Phillipsburg, Warren County) – $75,000.
- Project Self-Sufficiency (Newton, Sussex County) – $10,000.
- Rise (Hightstown, Monmouth County) – $50,000.
- Somebody C.A.R.E.S. Inc., Home to the Joel E. Perlmutter Memorial Food Pantry (Whiting, Ocean County) – $10,000.
- Spring Street Community Development (Morristown, Morris County) – $20,000.
- Trinity Center for the Community (Asbury Park, Monmouth County) – $25,000
In addition to grant funding, FirstEnergy demonstrates its commitment to community support by empowering employees with dedicated volunteer time-off hours. In 2024, FirstEnergy employees contributed more than 26,000 volunteer hours across the company’s service territory – supporting causes such as local food banks, pantries and other vital community organizations.
The FirstEnergy Foundation and FirstEnergy employees have been fighting food insecurity for over two decades. Since 2021, FirstEnergy employees have donated $650,000 directly to organizations focused on fighting hunger and improving nutrition. Nearly $7 million has been raised by employees over the past 23 years through the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign.
Last year, the FirstEnergy Foundation donated nearly $800,000 to hunger-related initiatives.
The FirstEnergy Foundation provides support to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits that serve and meet the critical needs of our customers in communities served by JCP&L and FirstEnergy’s electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business. Combined with the Hunger Action Month grants, the foundation has distributed more than $4 million in community support across FirstEnergy’s service area to date in 2025.
