Pictured L to R: Rev. Dr. Roberto Fois, Associated Pastor of Outreach & Community Engagement and Acting Executive Director of the SHARE Alliance; Andrea Holley-Blair, Co-President of the SHARE Alliance and a leader of the Springfield Unity Project (SUP); Russell Hovland, Treasurer of the SHARE Alliance and a member of Renaissance Church; Rev. Reginald Harris, member of the Board of Directors of SHARE Alliance and Associate Pastor at Antioch Baptist Church in Springfield; Jim Bover, member of the Board of Directors of SHARE Alliance and Director of Ren Cares at Renaissance Church in Springfield; Carol Kaiser, Secretary of the SHARE Alliance and a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church at Springfield; Anthony A. Mero, CEO of the Atlantic Federal Credit Union; and Carla White-Garrett, Community Engagement Representative at the Atlantic Federal Credit Union. Not pictured: Kristin Ruebling-Jass, Co-President of the SHARE Alliance and a member of Session at First Presbyterian Church at Springfield; and Mary Odusanya, member of the Board of Directors of SHARE Alliance and representative of the Rotary International Springfield Chapter.

SPRINGFIELD, NJ — The SHARE Alliance (the “Alliance"), a newly formed 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to addressing food security concerns in the county of Union, NJ, recently received a $3,000 donation from the Springfield-based Atlantic Federal Credit Union (the “Credit Union”) to support the Alliance’s mission to help community members in need.

The S.H.A.R.E. (Sowing Hope and Reaping Equity) Alliance is a consortium of several congregations and other interested parties, including the Springfield school district, Springfield Rotary Club, Springfield Unity Project (SUP), Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and more dedicated to the proposition that no one should go to bed hungry, or wonder where their next meal will come from. Under the sponsorship of the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, the Alliance seeks to approach the issue of food security in Union County with a three-prong tactic of increasing availability of healthier food, coordinating their distribution, and promoting their right use in the kitchen. These objectives are achieved through the establishment of a Community Pantry and Community Kitchen that will operate from the Parish House, located at 37 Church Mall, Springfield.

“Recognizing that economic insecurity is a primary driver of nutrition related health issues, and that community members in food insecure settings are forced to make difficult decisions around food on a daily basis, the Alliance has come together to leverage the work of existing organizations and identify innovative solutions to help more people – including children and seniors – with food security and avoiding difficult tradeoffs between necessities like food and medicine,” stated Acting Executive Director of the SHARE Alliance Rev. Dr. Roberto Fois. “The generous donation from our neighbors at the Atlantic Federal Credit Union reflects the community spirit that will help us to promote better health and strengthen family cohesion in communities throughout Union County.”

The Atlantic Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative providing banking services to residents and businesses in Union and Essex counties. For more than 85 years, the Atlantic Federal Credit Union has focused on delivering competitive rates on deposit accounts, low fees, and attractive rates on loans. In addition, the Credit Union regularly contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the communities it serves by volunteering and donating to local charitable organizations.

“As a community-chartered Credit Union, we succeed when our Members, neighbors and the greater community succeed,” stated Atlantic Federal Credit Union Chief Executive Officer Anthony A. Mero. “We are honored to be able to support the SHARE Alliance as the team offers critical resources to put local families on the path to success through food security and education.”

Information about the availability of services from the SHARE Alliance Community Kitchen and Pantry will be made available through the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield at https://www.springfieldpresbyterian.org/. The SHARE Alliance can also be reached at info@SHARE-Alliance.net.

More information about the Atlantic Federal Credit Union, including membership available to those who live, work, worship, attend school or conduct business in Union or Essex counties, is available at AtlFedCU.com.