Colleen O’Dea has spent her entire career reporting New Jersey news and won numerous state and national journalism awards and fellowships. She joined NJ Spotlight News in 2011 and now serves as its data reporter, as well as covering general assignment topics that include elections, politics, criminal justice, social issues and affordable housing.
With families struggling to put food on the table, state pushes schools to participate in federal summer-food programs — feeding 200,000 children on average day ...