The Crisis Ministry is committed to easing the hardships of poverty in our community by providing food, financial assistance, and advocacy.
Trenton Location:
123 East Hanover Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
609-396-9355
Store Hours: Monday – Friday
9:00 am - 12 noon
(Office Hours: M– F, 9-5)
Princeton Location:
Nassau Presbyterian Church
61 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
609-921-2135
Pantry/Office hours:
Monday – Friday,
1:30 - 4:00 pm
• Help fill our shelves when you go grocery shopping by coordinating a food drive.
Download a SHOPPING LIST with food ideas. Or email Food Services Director MARK SMITH about coordinating a drive.
• Looking for a way to volunteer your time and talents? Click here.
• You can help families keep warm — Please
donate to our Utilities Budget this season.
• Spring 2008 newsletter
• Fall 2007 newsletter
Take Action!
Recent Legislative Action
Federal Updates
With thanks to the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank for the information below:
Members of the U.S. House and Senate will meet to work toward a Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) in the next few weeks. It is important that they pass a final Farm Bill with the strongest nutrition title possible. Overall the Hosue bill is better with regard to the length/duration of the TEFAP/USDA and Food Stamp Program changes. However the Food Stamp program asset rules are more signficant in the Senate bill.
It is also important that our senators and representatives know that hungry Americans cannot wait, so a long-term extension of the current law is not option. A breakdown of some of the key aspects of the bills that affect the Crisis Ministry and its fellow organizations in Mercer County include:
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) .
Previously known as USDA Food, this program would increase funding for TEFAP commodities to $250 million and include an annual index for food price inflation. The House bill has a provision for annual food price adjustments. Increase operation cost and administrative grants to $100 million annually. The Senate version provides for a permanent authorization of $100 million in annual funding. - TEFAP Bonus Commodity Handling Costs . Allow the Secretary of Agriculture to use Section 32 funds to assist in paying for the state and local costs needed for teh acceptance, transport, storage and distribution of bonus commodities offered to emergency feeding organizations. Adjust House bill language to allow teh Secretary of Agriclture the power to use Section 32 funds to support distribution costs of bonus items.
- Fruit and vegetable donations to feed the hungry. Increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables made available by the USDA for food banks and other emergency feeding organizations serving the needy. The House bill provides for additional vegetable, fruit, and nut purchases.
- Food Stamp Program. Increase funding to increase benefit levels, expand eligibility and improvde participation rates, allow participants greater resources, stop benefit erosion, enable self-sufficiency. Support the House version to remove the cap on the dependent care deducation and to raise the minimum benefit for one and two-person households as well as index it for inflation. Support the Senate bill that raises the asset limits and adjusts them for inflation until 2012. Adopt the Senate bill that allows for states to extend the simplified reporting certification and the state option to five months' worth of transitional benefits. Support the House bill, which excludes special combat pay as income.
Learn more at America's Second Harvest.
New Jersey State Updates
Thank Governor Corzine for having a “Heart for the Hungry.” We are urging all constituents to send the Governor a Valentine on February 14, 2007. The New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition will present Gov. Corzine with thousands of Valentines from all over the state. We are urging everyone to thank him for the new $4 million that was added to the budget for food assistance. If you want to participate, please send your Valentine to The Crisis Ministry, 123 E. Hanover Street, Trenton, NJ 08608. Put “Governor” on the envelope. The Crisis Ministry will be speaking at a press conference for the Governor on February 14, 2007, State Annex, Committee Room 1, from 11-12.
The Governor wants to produce or preserve 100,000 affordable homes over the next ten years. Let his office know that you are in favor of his request.
Very Low Income Housing: The legislature is promoting the production of affordable housing for very low income households. Shirley Turner (S1440) and Bonnie Watson-Coleman (A1343) are the primary sponsors of these bills, which require that 25% of all affordable housing units created be dedicated for very low-income households. Go to: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp for more information.
Raise the limit under which people can get an EITC tax credit in the State of NJ. New Jersey’s tax threshold for families of four has been $20,000 since 2000. If NJ does not increase its tax thresholds for 2007, it will begin levying income tax on poor families of four, living below the federal poverty line. This initiative will help men and women who work hard every day, but earn too little to get ahead.