Official Site of The State of New Jersey
OFSA Annual Conference
Garden State Conference on Food Security:
Setting a Table for All, for Always
Presented by the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate
To livestream and in-person attendees alike, thank you for joining the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) for a day of cross-sector conversations and networking to advance the collective work of making true food security a reality. Check out highlights from the day, plus resources from the presenters and more!
- Watch the recording of the conference here
- Revisit the event agenda here
- Review and share New Jersey’s Action Plan, as presented by OFSA Executive Director Mark Dinglasan
- View slides from Eric Calloway, PhD, RD, Senior Research Scientist, Center for Nutrition & Health Impact , for the Shaping the Space We Collectively Hold for the Issue of Food Insecurity session
- View bonus slides from OFSA Research and Evaluation Strategy Manager Jenny Schrum PhD, MSW, MPH, for the Taking Action: Resources for Community Needs session
- Browse news about the conference here
- View news release
We’ll start planning the 2025 Garden State Conference on Food Security in a few weeks, and look forward to welcoming you there next fall!
Speaker Craig J. Coughlin
National experts Katie Martin, PhD, and the More Than Food Consulting team
National experts Amy Lazarus Yaroch, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact and the CNHI team
Overview
On October 4, 2024, community members, policymakers, advocates, community organizations, farmers, grantmakers, school personnel, healthcare providers, local food pantries, community kitchens, academic researchers and others from across and beyond New Jersey convened at the inaugural Garden State Conference on Food Security: Setting a Table for All, for Always.
Together, these participants did a deep dive into the power of people and policy, shaping the space we collectively hold for the issue of food insecurity, and how New Jersey communities are leveraging technology and collective power, philanthropic partnerships and OFSA-supported research and tools to make their food security work more effective, efficient and transformative. OFSA Executive Director Mark Dinglasan also provided an overview of the state’s action plan and the office honored three New Jerseyans for their contributions to advancing food security for everyone, everywhere.
Through an in-person and a simulcast livestream experience, this convening brought together:
- Residents passionate about advocating for their community
- Community-based organizations in various mission areas – food pantries, community kitchens, housing, social services, summer feeding sites and beyond
- County administrators
- Farmers, aggregators and commercial fisheries
- Food-security focused community coalitions
- Healthcare providers
- Higher education, both researchers and basic needs providers
- Municipal agencies
- Philanthropy
- School superintendents, business officials, nutrition directors, nurses, educators and paraprofessionals
- State of New Jersey colleagues from other agencies and departments
New Jersey has a strong record of action and an ambitious agenda for a hunger-free future. The fight against hunger has been a signature issue for Speaker Coughlin during his tenure. Under his leadership, the State has increased investment, improved coordination of services with non-profits, and developed innovative approaches to scale-up the work to address the root causes of food insecurity. Throughout September, recognized as Hunger Action Month, the new “Feeding Hope” docuseries by the NJ Assembly Democrats recaps the state’s successes and spotlights the neighbors coming together in this work. Watch the episode, "State of Solutions: New Jersey's Commitment to Ending Food Insecurity," below. This powerful installment shines a light on the bold steps New Jersey is taking to ensure that no one in our state goes without food. From community initiatives to statewide policies, discover how leaders and advocates are working together to tackle food insecurity and build a brighter future for every New Jerseyan.
Learn more about the Feeding Hope docuseries and all episodes by visiting the New Jersey Assembly Democrats website here.