Affinity, EdiFi, and First Harvest Credit Unions worked alongside 27 New Jersey credit unions on the initiative ahead of the holiday season

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — December 4, 2024 — First Harvest Credit Union (“First Harvest”), Affinity Federal Credit Union (“Affinity”), EdiFi Credit Union (“EdiFi”), and 27 participating New Jersey credit unions shared the results of the New Jersey Credit Unions Food Cooperative. The program, created to help address the growing hunger crisis in New Jersey, collected and donated a collective $10,670 and 10,299 pounds of essential food items to support 47 food pantries and organizations throughout the state.

All participating credit unions and their designated branches served as collection locations in October and November, providing broader geographic coverage across New Jersey. Each credit union branch directly supported a food pantry or organization within the community it serves. Some of these organizations include Interfaith Food Pantry, Salvation Army, Food Bank of Somerset County, and Community Food Bank of NJ.

Participating credit unions include:

• Affinity Federal Credit Union (Co-Sponsor)
• EdiFi Credit Union (Co-Sponsor)
• First Harvest Credit Union (Co-Sponsor)
• 1166 Federal Credit Union
• Atlantic City Electric Company Employees Federal Credit Union
• Bay Atlantic Federal Credit Union
• Bridgeton Onized Federal Credit Union
• County Excellence Federal Credit UnionCredit Union of New Jersey, A Federal Credit Union
• Deepwater Industries Federal Credit Union
• Garden Savings Federal Credit Union
• Greater Alliance Federal Credit Union
• Jersey Central Federal Credit Union
• Jersey Shore Federal Credit Union
• Manville Area Federal Credit Union
• Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union
• Merck Employees Federal Credit Union
• Messiah Baptist Church Federal Credit Union
• Motion Federal Credit Union
• Picatinny Federal Credit Union
• Princeton Federal Credit Union
• Ridgedale Federal Credit Union
• Rutgers Federal Credit Union
• The Atlantic Federal Credit Union
• Thunderbolt Area Federal Credit Union
• United Poles Federal Credit Union
• United Teletech Financial Federal Credit Union

Benefitting food organizations include:

• 5 Loaves Food Pantry - New Brunswick, NJ
• Abundant Life Food Pantry - Edgewater Park, NJ
• Alliance Center for Independence CommUNITY Food Pantry - Edison, NJ
• Arm in Arm - Hamilton, NJ
• Atlantic City Rescue Mission - Atlantic City, NJ
• Blessed Sacrament Church's Food Pantry - Newark, NJ
• Casano Community Center - Roselle Park, NJ
• Cathedral Kitchen - Camden, NJ
• Christian Caring Center - Browns Mills, NJ
• Community Foodbank of NJ - Hillside, NJ
• Community Foodbank of NJ, Southern Branch - Egg Harbor Township, NJ
• Community Hope - Hillside, NJ
• CUMAC - Paterson, NJ
• Drew University Food Pantry - Madison, NJ
• Feeding Body & Soul Food Pantry - West Haverstraw, NY
• Food Bank of South Jersey - Pennsauken, NJ
• Food Bank Network of Somerset County - Bound Brook, NJ
• Fulfill - Neptune, NJ
• Fulfill - New Brunswick, NJ
• Help and Hope Ministries - Millville, NJ
• Hopes Cap Inc. - Plainfield, NJ
• Interfaith Food Pantry - Morris Plains, NJ
• Kings and Things Christian Food Pantry - Swedesboro, NJ
• Lunch Break - Red Bank, NJ
• Main Street Food Pantry at First United Methodist Church of Mays Landing - Mays Landing, NJ
• Mercer County Community College Food Pantry - West Windsor, NJ
• Mercer Street Friends - Trenton, NJ
• No1hungryinehc - Egg Harbor City, NJ
• Norwescap - Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
• Open Cupboard - Clinton, NJ
• People to People - Nanuet, NY
• Person to Person - Norwalk, CT
• Rahway Community Action Organization - Rahway, NJ
• Rahway Food for Friends - Rahway, NJ
• Raritan Valley Community College Food Pantry - Branchburg, NJ
• Rockaway Food Closet at First Presbyterian Church of Rockaway - Rockaway, NJ
• Rowan College of South Jersey Student Food Bank - Sewell, NJ
• Salvation Army (Turkey Drive) - Vineland, NJ
• Samaritan Center of Glassboro - Glassboro, NJ
• Sister Jean’s Kitchen, Pantry & Garden - Atlantic City, NJ
• St Vincent DePaul Food Pantry - Vineland, NJ
• St. Peter the Apostle Church - River Edge, NJ
• St. Vincent Food Kitchen - Mount Holly, Burlington County, NJ
• The Food Bank Network of Somerset County - Bound Brook, NJ
• The Millburn Township Food Pantry - Millburn, NJ
• Tri-County Community Food Pantry - Pennsville, NJ
• Vineland Soup Kitchen - Vineland, NJ

“The state of New Jersey’s food insecurity crisis affects at least 1 in 10 residents, and the need for food donations and support continues to grow year over year. As credit unions, it is our inherent mission to come together and foster opportunities to serve the underserved throughout our entire New Jersey community. This food initiative demonstrates that credit unions coming together creates a ripple effect of support that leaves a lasting impression. It is a privilege to partner with the amazing New Jersey credit union leaders in this meaningful human-driven mission.” First Harvest President & CEO Mike Dinneen.

“With food insecurity on the rise throughout the state, we felt a call to action to support communities with limited access to healthy and affordable food sources. The credit union difference is about people helping people, and New Jersey credit unions coming together for initiatives like this demonstrates the cooperative spirit of working with our members and local communities. We thank our partners at First Harvest and EdiFi, as well as all the participating credit unions, for their unwavering support and efforts ahead of the holiday season,” said Affinity Federal Credit Union President & CEO Kevin Brauer.

“We’re seeing the stress that the increased cost of food and necessities is having on our local communities. This effort to help those in need is perfectly consistent with the mission of the credit union movement to lift up individuals and families. It’s great to see so many of our credit union colleagues collaborating together towards this initiative.” EdiFi Credit Union President & CEO Jill Peterson.

About Affinity Federal Credit Union

Affinity Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, member-owned and community-focused, with a mission to nurture your financial wellbeing. With 20 branches across the tri-state area, Affinity is the largest credit union headquartered in the state of New Jersey, proudly ranking in the top 2% of all credit unions in terms of asset size. The Affinity difference is about people helping people on a deeper level and understanding what you need to make your unique dreams a reality. For more information, please visit AffinityFCU.com.

About EdiFi Credit Union

EdiFi was originally founded in 1958 to serve the educators in Burlington County, New Jersey. From those roots, our members taught us something important – the more you know, the more you grow. We now serve a broad range of communities and professions, from educators and healthcare professionals to business owners and municipal employees and more, with 7 branches located throughout Southern NJ. We’re committed to providing the financial resources to empower a brighter future! For more information, please visit EdiFi.com.

About First Harvest Credit Union

Established in 1940, First Harvest Credit Union is a low income-designated credit union headquartered in Deptford, NJ. With more than $450 million in assets, the credit union serves more than 45,000 members and 700 workplaces and operates full-service locations in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. The credit union offers a full suite of saving, spending, borrowing and financial wellness solutions for consumers, institutions and businesses. For more information about First Harvest Credit Union, visit FirstHarvestCU.com.

Contacts

Suphaphone Sounkongsee
VP Marketing for First Harvest
856.374.9700 Ext. 5033
ssounkongsee@firstharvestcu.com

Marissa Comerford
Gregory FCA for Affinity
610-228-2014
affinity@gregoryfca.com

Nick Chiamardas
The Pod for EdiFi
850.345.9944
nick@thepod.agency