A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is notable: 13.5% of households across the United States experienced food insecurity in 2023, a “statically significant increase” over the prior year. This also marks the highest levels of food insecurity in nearly a decade.

In the Trenton area, where poverty rates are double the national average, the problem is more acute.

Here at TASK, we have seen the impact firsthand, noting a significant increase in the number of seniors, families with children, the working poor, people with disabilities and the chronically homeless who come to our Escher Street dining room to eat.  To address this growing need, TASK launched a mobile soup kitchen to meet people “where they are at,” according to Joyce Campbell, TASK’s CEO.

“Our goal is to remove barriers and increase access to food, ensuring that we can provide our signature TASK meals to everyone who needs them.”

Most of TASK’s meals feed the city of Trenton, but the agency also serves places where food insecurity is more hidden: Princeton, Lawrenceville, East Windsor and two sites in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Our newest maps below show how TASK has dramatically expanded its footprint over the last year, thanks to YOUR support!