The grant from the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate will support Fueling Futures Somerset County, a one-year pilot program focused on outreach, equity and access to school-meal programs. The initiative will work across 21 municipal school districts, including communities served by local Somerset County schools.
County officials say many eligible families may not realize they qualify for food assistance or reduced-price meal programs. The new program is designed to reduce that information gap by improving connections among school districts, families and food-assistance organizations. It will also provide technical support and training to school staff, helping them guide families through available resources and application processes.
According to the county, 4,435 children in Somerset County receive SNAP benefits, while 13,688 receive free or reduced-price school meals. Officials say food insecurity can be an unseen barrier to learning, adding financial strain to households and making it more difficult for students to focus, grow and succeed.
Through the state’s Building Expanded Access to Nutritious School Meals, or BEANS, program, Fueling Futures will seek to improve referral systems, strengthen screenings for food insecurity and make it easier for eligible households to reach food resources. The initiative will pair the Somerset County Human Services Department with a community-based agency to build that support network.
Families seeking information about food-assistance programs can visit Somerset County’s food-assistance page at somersetcountynj.gov/government/human-services/food-assistance. Information about statewide food-security efforts is available through the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate at nj.gov/foodsecurity.