Morris County Commissioner Candidates Criticize Inadequate Response to Impending Hunger Crisis

CHATHAM, N.J. –County Commissioner challengers Blum, DeVenezia, and Mathiasen criticized the Morris County Board of County Commissioners for what they called an insufficient and shortsighted response to the impending hunger crisis, as an estimated 17,000 county residents are expected to lose access to food assistance through the SNAP and WIC programs.

“I was optimistic when I read incumbent Commissioner Christine Myers state in a press release, ‘When times are tough, Morris County steps up,’” said challenger Jocelyn Mathiasen. “And then my jaw dropped when I saw that their entire solution is to ask residents to give more to food banks and provide a list of charitable food providers.”

Mathiasen emphasized that while charitable giving is a vital community resource, relying solely on private donations is not an adequate or sustainable response to a widespread loss of nutritional assistance.

“Thousands of children, seniors, and working families in Morris County are about to face serious food insecurity,” Mathiasen said. “This is precisely the time when county government should be taking the lead — coordinating resources, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that no one goes hungry. Asking residents to fill the gap left by federal cuts is not leadership; it’s abdication.”

“The County spends over $370,000,000 per year – surely, they can find the funds to help hungry families – including many children and senior citizens – during this crisis,” said candidate Max Blum. Blum contrasted Morris County’s non-response with that of Union County, which has committed to provide temporary financial assistance to households currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Union County’s Commissioner Chair explained: “We will not allow Union County families to go without food due to circumstances outside their control.”

The Candidates call on the County Commissioners to develop a comprehensive emergency plan that includes:

• Direct support to families losing SNAP and WIC benefits
• Increased funding for local food assistance programs,
• Strategic coordination with food banks and nonprofit partners, and

“When people in our community go hungry, it is not a partisan issue — it is a moral imperative,” candidate Marie DeVenezia said. “Morris County deserves leaders who step up with concrete solutions, not sound bites.”

The candidates emphasized that in addition to addressing the impending crisis, Morris County needs to be more engaged in addressing the challenges faced by the County’s struggling families in the long run.

“Unfortunately, the chorus on the Right seems to be that social programs and basic healthcare are just charity to the undeserving,” said DeVenezia. “The reality is that kids who are fed and educated and healthy are much more likely to grow up to be productive residents. Even if you don’t empathize with poor working families, the economic argument should resonate with everyone.”

While praising the many nonprofits that provide assistance in Morris County, and the County’s human services staff, the candidates would like to see more innovation in social services, including additional assistance to needy families to educate them on what programs are available and how to take advantage of them.

“Sadly, the bureaucracy that many food and health programs impose is worse than your worst day at the DMV,” explained Blum. “And it will only get worse with the many new requirements being imposed at the national level.” Many of these programs, he added, were re-designed under Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” to become so complex that people drop out of them out of despair. “These families need a road map, not roadblocks.”

Candidate Mathiasen pointed out that she has made a career out of “crushing bureaucracy” by streamlining government processes. “If elected, that is the first thing I propose to tackle at the County,” she said.