Students Change Hunger Week – Renee Helfenstein From CFBNJ Interview
The Community Foodbank of New Jersey does so much. And Their team all sound so passionate about what they do! It’s Students Change Hunger Week- Renee Helfenstein From CFGNJ Interview was a lot of fun. I asked her about her passion and excitement for what she does, plus we went over the Students Change Hunger program and much more!
We have staggering statistics here in New Jersey when it comes to hunger. Especially for a state that some would consider somewhat affluent. Nearly 1 million people in the state are food insecure which is about 1 in 9. That includes over 260,000 children or 1 in 8. It’s so sad to hear about those neighbors in need and when we do realize the gravity of the situation, many of us want to do something, which is why it’s so important that Renee came on my show to talk about ways to be involved.
I spoke to Renee about Students Change Hunger. It’s a terrific program that I feel every single school should be involved in. We also discussed how CFBNJ hosts several leadership-building programs for teens, including the following:
Teen Leadership Council – Students meet monthly to refine leadership skills, network with students across New Jersey, and learn the fundamentals of event planning, social media marketing, fundraising, outreach, and volunteering. Members work together on a service-learning project that addresses hunger in New Jersey.
Presentations & Workshops – CFBNJ offers presentations and workshops for all school levels and can be customized upon request. Topics include food insecurity in New Jersey, the work of CFBNJ, student outreach opportunities, why outreach is important, and more.
Teen Hunger Summit – A half-day leadership session to be held at Montclair State University for the first time. December 3 from 9 – 12. Typically, about 200 students from various high schools in Northern New Jersey. They will have the opportunity to hear from speakers about different aspects associated with hunger. Then, they will participate in breakout sessions, where they will discuss and debate and follow up with a presentation about what they learned.
Check out my discussion with Renee below and if you want to be involved in some way, be sure to head to the Community Food Bank Of New Jersey website.