A Bold Idea
In 2021, New Jersey advocates, philanthropy and lawmakers asked a simple but powerful question: What if food security wasn’t just a program, but a priority at the highest level of government? That question led to the creation of the Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA)—the first executive-level office in the United States dedicated to ending hunger. By September 2022, the office opened its doors, signaling a new era of coordinated action against food insecurity.
The Challenge
Despite strong efforts by food banks, nonprofits, and state agencies, thousands of New Jersey residents still faced hunger. Programs existed, but they were fragmented. Communities most in need often fell through the cracks. The state needed a central hub to:
- Identify gaps through research and data.
- Align policy with real-world needs.
- Bring government, philanthropy, and community voices together.
The Turning Point
OFSA didn’t just step into this role, it redefined it. From day one, the office focused on building a food security ecosystem rather than isolated solutions. Its mission: to create lasting change through collaboration, policy innovation, and community-driven strategies.
One of its most transformative moves came in 2023 with the launch of the Food Security Access Fund. This public-private partnership pooled philanthropic dollars to strengthen nonprofits on the front lines of hunger relief. Managed by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, the fund gave organizations the capacity to serve more people, more effectively.
The Power of Partnership
At the heart of this effort was The Tepper Foundation, a major philanthropic partner. By helping to get the OFSA launched and investing in the Food Security Access Fund, Tepper helped scale initiatives that meet urgent needs while building long-term resilience. Together, OFSA and Tepper created a model that other states now look to: government leadership paired with private-sector resources to drive systemic change.
A Commitment to Strategic Planning
New Jersey took an unconventional approach to strategic planning: it didn’t rush. Instead, OFSA focused first on building the cultural, organizational, and community foundations needed for a plan that could genuinely transform the state’s food system. The office prioritized movement‑building—strengthening relationships, elevating community voice, and instilling a shared commitment to equity and transparency—before drafting a single strategy.
To anchor this approach, OFSA made two early investments: hiring its first Director of Research and Evaluation, Dr. Jenny Shrum, to establish a rigorous data and learning infrastructure, and hiring a communications and community engagement lead to ensure community perspectives shaped every step of the work. These decisions helped create an organizational culture rooted in co-creation and evidence-driven decision-making.
Over two and a half years, the team held listening sessions, convenings, and meetings with partners across agriculture, charitable food organizations, philanthropy, and state and local government. During this time, OFSA also built political will, strengthened cross-sector partnerships, and demonstrated early wins—such as sustaining procurement innovations after federal relief programs ended. By October 2024, New Jersey’s food security ecosystem was aligned, energized, and ready for a statewide plan.
When planning formally began, OFSA designed a process that blended data, community wisdom, and multi-sector leadership. Working with the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact, the office conducted statewide surveys aligned with the six dimensions of food security—availability, access, utilization, stability, sustainability, and agency—and cross‑walked the findings with more than 22 existing reports and data sets. OFSA then released draft strategies for public comment, ensuring communities helped shape the final plan.
The resulting statewide plan identifies five cross‑system priority areas, from building data infrastructure to strengthening local coalitions and enhancing long‑term resilience across the food system. A second-phase Implementation Toolkit, expected in 2026, will outline best practices, models, and operational guidance to help partners bring the strategies to life.
Impact and Momentum
- Coordination at Scale: OFSA now serves as the state’s nerve center for food security policy and advocacy.
- Capacity Building: Nonprofits have expanded their reach thanks to strategic funding.
- National Recognition: New Jersey is setting the standard for how states can tackle hunger through collaboration.
Looking Ahead
OFSA’s vision is clear: a future where every New Jersey resident has reliable access to nutritious food. By continuing to unite state agencies, philanthropy, and communities, the office is proving that hunger is not inevitable—it’s solvable when we work together.
Want to learn more? Check out the recording of the NCIT webinar:
Building a Food Security Ecosystem for PN-3: The New Jersey Story.
Download this case study here.
