Kathleen DiChiara is founder and leader of the Hillside-based Community FoodBank of New Jersey, one of the largest food banks in the country. Nearly 30 years ago, she was inspired by a Sunday sermon and started collecting food for the needy in the back of her station wagon. Today, a staff of 97, more than 30,000 volunteers, two warehouses and a small fleet of trucks make possible the distribution of more than 23 million pounds of food and groceries annually to more than 1,500 charities serving over 500,000 people in need. She says that as an economic theory, trickle down” never worked, but ripple out” does.

Kathleen started feeding people from the back of her  station wagon in downtown Newark more than 45 years ago. The organization has since grown into the largest anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization in New Jersey. They provide nutritious food for over 50 million meals through a network of more than 1,000 community partners, including pantries, soup kitchens, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. Fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. Engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. 

Update:  October 14, 2024 “The Community FoodBank of New Jersey announced that its founder, Kathleen DiChiara, has died. Under her leadership, CFBNJ is the state’s largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization, providing enough food for more than 90 million meals annually. Beyond the statistics, her compassion and dedication to helping those in need is what attracted the attention of many.”