Holy Name Foundation Uses State Grant To Aid Restaurants

TEANECK, NJ — The Holy Name Medical Center Foundation received a $2 million grant to fight food insecurity, and help local restaurants in the process.

The grant was awarded through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's Sustain and Serve program, which delivered $14 million in grant funding to 27 recipients across the state. Holy Name's $2 million was the largest chunk of the designation.

That money was distributed to nonprofits like the Holy Name Foundation, which utilize local restaurants to distribute meals to community members facing food insecurity. That's evermore important since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when county residents relied on donated meals at numbers hardly seen before.

Holy Name Foundation President Cathleen Davey told Northjersey.com the foundation has found roughly 25 restaurants to join their initiative, pending the application process.

Gov. Phil Murphy said these grants will help communities on two front: aiding restaurants and fighting food insecurity.

"New Jersey’s restaurants were hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the outpouring of interest in Sustain & Serve NJ underscores the community’s desire to help local restaurants and the neighborhoods they serve," Governor Phil Murphy said. "The positive economic impact of this program for the restaurant industry, combined with the good it will do in the community, makes Sustain & Serve NJ a home run."

The NJEDA anticipates providing $14 million in grant funding to entities throughout the Garden State to support expenses directly tied to bulk purchasing of meals from New Jersey-based restaurants, according to a news release.

Each awardee will receive a grant of between $100,000 and $2 million to fund these purchases. The entities will then distribute the meals at no cost.

"New Jersey’s restaurants are paramount to our state’s economy and Governor Murphy has made bolstering this industry a focal point of our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. "The tremendous response to our Sustain & Serve NJ program showcases the eagerness from organizations statewide to support local establishments within their communities."

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