SNAP cuts have hit South Jersey and Philadelphia hard, with over 4 million Americans losing food aid. See how Quaker meetings are responding to rising food insecurity.
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Key Statistics & Data Points
The following data can be used to create pull quotes, infographics, or sidebar content for the article.
National Impact:
SNAP participation dropped by more than 4 million people between January 2025 and January 2026, from 42 million to 38 million.
New Jersey Impact:
SNAP participation fell by 35,588 people between July 2025 and April 2026—a 4% decline, with children accounting for 61% of that drop (21,815 kids lost benefits).
Nearly 850,000 residents in New Jersey rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families.
New Jersey will be required to raise $100–$300 million due to new federal cost-sharing requirements, or risk eliminating the entire SNAP program.
County governments will need to find an additional $78 million annually due to decreased federal reimbursement.
Pennsylvania Impact:
SNAP participation fell by 210,268 people—an 11% drop—between July 2025 and June 2026. Children represented 28% of that loss, with 59,750 children affected.
Nearly 90,000 people lost SNAP benefits as of April due to new eligibility requirements.
About 1 in 3 SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania are under the age of 18.
Nearly 241,000 children in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties receive SNAP benefits.
South Jersey Food Insecurity:
One in nine people in South Jersey are food insecure, and one in seven children.
In Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, meals distributed to help those in need grew by 34% over the last four years.
Quaker & Community Response Highlights
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting:
PYM is actively compiling a list of meetings and affiliated groups that operate food pantries, meal programs, and holiday food drives.
Meetings and affiliated groups across the region are gathering food pantry items and coordinating distribution.
Quaker organizations have a long history of food justice work, including AFSC’s efforts dating back to post-WWI child-feeding projects in Europe.
South Jersey Community Response:
Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, the largest emergency meal supplier in South Jersey, distributes 28,000 meals a month and trains low-income people to be chefs and restaurant workers.
Angels Community Outreach in Pitman, Gloucester County, was forced to cancel 43 appointments when it ran out of food, but the community rallied to restock its shelves after a desperate plea.
The Ron Jaworski Foundation donated $20,000 to Angels Community Outreach to help replenish supplies.
The Stamp Out Hunger food drive in 2026 resulted in nearly 230,000 pounds of food donated to the Food Bank of South Jersey, providing 191,406 meals.
The Food Bank of South Jersey distributed a record 23 million pounds of food in 2024 and is on track to surpass that number this year.
Suggested Pull Quotes
“Programs like NJ FamilyCare and NJ SNAP are not just safety nets. They are lifelines. They reflect New Jersey’s core values of dignity, compassion, and opportunity for all.” — NJ Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman
“Why are we taking away necessary support at this time? I mean, we’re talking about food, the basics of being a human. Why is this happening now, at a time when people are struggling with affordability?” — Sen. Andy Kim
“With the economy right now, it’s hard. People are struggling, and I’m having families where they are working two jobs. We are seeing middle class. People who used to donate saying, ‘I’m embarrassed. Can you help me out?'” — Elissa Darrow, Director of Angels Community Outreach
One Comment
Key Statistics & Data Points
The following data can be used to create pull quotes, infographics, or sidebar content for the article.
National Impact:
SNAP participation dropped by more than 4 million people between January 2025 and January 2026, from 42 million to 38 million.
New Jersey Impact:
SNAP participation fell by 35,588 people between July 2025 and April 2026—a 4% decline, with children accounting for 61% of that drop (21,815 kids lost benefits).
Nearly 850,000 residents in New Jersey rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families.
New Jersey will be required to raise $100–$300 million due to new federal cost-sharing requirements, or risk eliminating the entire SNAP program.
County governments will need to find an additional $78 million annually due to decreased federal reimbursement.
Pennsylvania Impact:
SNAP participation fell by 210,268 people—an 11% drop—between July 2025 and June 2026. Children represented 28% of that loss, with 59,750 children affected.
Nearly 90,000 people lost SNAP benefits as of April due to new eligibility requirements.
About 1 in 3 SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania are under the age of 18.
Nearly 241,000 children in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties receive SNAP benefits.
South Jersey Food Insecurity:
One in nine people in South Jersey are food insecure, and one in seven children.
In Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, meals distributed to help those in need grew by 34% over the last four years.
Quaker & Community Response Highlights
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting:
PYM is actively compiling a list of meetings and affiliated groups that operate food pantries, meal programs, and holiday food drives.
Meetings and affiliated groups across the region are gathering food pantry items and coordinating distribution.
Quaker organizations have a long history of food justice work, including AFSC’s efforts dating back to post-WWI child-feeding projects in Europe.
South Jersey Community Response:
Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, the largest emergency meal supplier in South Jersey, distributes 28,000 meals a month and trains low-income people to be chefs and restaurant workers.
Angels Community Outreach in Pitman, Gloucester County, was forced to cancel 43 appointments when it ran out of food, but the community rallied to restock its shelves after a desperate plea.
The Ron Jaworski Foundation donated $20,000 to Angels Community Outreach to help replenish supplies.
The Stamp Out Hunger food drive in 2026 resulted in nearly 230,000 pounds of food donated to the Food Bank of South Jersey, providing 191,406 meals.
The Food Bank of South Jersey distributed a record 23 million pounds of food in 2024 and is on track to surpass that number this year.
Suggested Pull Quotes
“Programs like NJ FamilyCare and NJ SNAP are not just safety nets. They are lifelines. They reflect New Jersey’s core values of dignity, compassion, and opportunity for all.” — NJ Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman
“Why are we taking away necessary support at this time? I mean, we’re talking about food, the basics of being a human. Why is this happening now, at a time when people are struggling with affordability?” — Sen. Andy Kim
“With the economy right now, it’s hard. People are struggling, and I’m having families where they are working two jobs. We are seeing middle class. People who used to donate saying, ‘I’m embarrassed. Can you help me out?'” — Elissa Darrow, Director of Angels Community Outreach