It 's not enough to say you want change. It is important to be part of that change. That's what drove the formation of the NJ Grocery Bill Relief Action Committee. They are a new people helping people program that is not limited to NJ.
Realizing the President Obama needed to have citizens on a grassroots level take action, they have joined forces with MPB Today to take some positive action to address a serious need. You can participate at
http://mpb.ispaiddaily.com DID YOU KNOW...
-- Nearly 17 percent more New Jersey residents sought food assistance between January and July of this year than they did at the same time last year, according to an analysis of monthly client totals from emergency pantries served by the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. This is in line with the average of 15 to 20 percent increase reported by food banks all over the country. Community FoodBank of New Jersey, June 2008
-- One out of every five New Jersey families does not earn enough to afford basic necessities such as housing, food and child care -- despite the fact that 85 percent of these households have at least one family member working. Only 6 percent of these households receive welfare. Poverty Research Institute, June 2008
-- More than 738,900 people in New Jersey live at or below the federal poverty level. There are 1.6 million people in the state who are counted among the working poor. Food Research and Action Center, "State of the States 2007"
-- In New Jersey, 27 percent of children (575,000) live in low-income families, an increase from 2001. Association for Children of New Jersey, "New Jersey Kids Count 2007"
-- Non-profit organizations served by the Community FoodBank of New Jersey provide food assistance to as many as 537,000 low-income people in the state each year. Thirty percent of households served by the Community FoodBank include at least one employed adult. America's Second Harvest Study: Hunger in America 2006
-- About 40 percent of the households that receive food from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey had to choose between paying for food and paying their rent. Close to 41 percent had to choose between paying for food and paying their utilities or heating fuel. About 31 percent had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care. America's Second Harvest Study: Hunger in America 2006
-- Driven by a painful mix of layoffs and rising food and fuel prices, 28 million Americans are expected to receive food stamps in the coming year, the highest level since the aid program began in the 1960s. The New York Times, March 31, 2008
-- Why are world food prices rising? The main causes are strong demand from developing countries, a rising global population, more frequent floods and droughts caused by climate change, and the biofuel industry's appetite for grains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture warns that high agricultural commodities prices would continue for at least the next two to three years. The Financial Times of London, Feb. 24, 2008
-- The official federal poverty level for a family of four in 2008 is $21,200 a year. U.S. Census Bureau
-- NJ's minimum wage is $7.15 an hour ($14,872 per year). United States Department of Labor, 2007
-- When the federal minimum wage goes up to $7.25 an hour in 2009, an estimated 13 million American workers -- 10 percent of the workforce -- will receive an increase. About 80 percent of workers who will benefit from a minimum wage increase are adults. Approximately 59 percent are women. Economic Policy Institute, 2007
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Thursday, March 3rd 2011 at 9:05PM
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