Camden County officials celebrated the grand opening of the $5-million Mary Ann Wardlow Center for Community Nutrition in Blackwood on May 15, a significant step toward combating food insecurity in South Jersey.
The 7,500-square-foot facility will serve as a new hub for the county’s expanding home-delivered meal services and offer vital support to seniors and residents with disabilities. The state-of-the-art center is designed to handle meal assembly and distribution for the county’s Meals on Wheels program, along with administrative spaces for staff.
The facility is named for Mary Ann Wardlow, the long-serving mayor of Lawnside and a tireless advocate for senior nutrition programs.
“Each year, the need for this program grows greater and greater here in our county,” said Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services. ” … This program is a lifeline to so many, and we’re thrilled that it now has a home in this modern facility.”
Wardlow – who has played a pivotal role in local nutrition initiatives – expressed her gratitude for the naming honor.
“This program is a lifeline to our residents on a regular day, but during COVID, Meals on Wheels became a life-or-death service for our seniors and our neighbors with disabilities,” she recalled. “I could not be prouder to have my name on a building serving such a critical purpose.”
The project was funded through a combination of Community Development Block Grants, American Rescue Plan funds and a federal grant secured by Congressman Donald Norcross.
“I’m honored to have secured funding to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry,” Norcross noted. “The new center will expand the reach of this essential food program and better serve families and seniors throughout Camden County.”
Food insecurity remains a pressing issue in South Jersey. In 2024 alone, the Food Bank of South Jersey in Pennsauken distributed 23.4 million pounds of food that provided 19.5 million monthly meals to about 185,000 people, including 67,000 children.
At the grand opening, Deputy Director Commissioner Ed McDonnell praised the county staff who power the program from behind the scenes.
“Members of our senior services team and health-department employees go above and beyond,” he remarked. “This is one of the most important programs we provide. Mary Ann Wardlow has dedicated her life to making sure people do not go hungry.
“This building is a testament to that mission.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 Food Security Report, more than 47.4 million Americans – including 13.8 million children – live in food-insecure households, a number that has grown in recent years.
Assemblyman Dan Hutchison echoed the significance of the new facility and the county’s efforts to combat hunger.
“Today, I proudly stand with the commissioners of Camden County as they take a major step forward in addressing the issue of food insecurity,” he noted. “No one should have to choose between paying their bills and putting food on the table.”
