POCKETS OF NEED: Food pantry in need of donations

Pantry running low on items including jellies, cans of Chef Boyardee and stuffing.

By: Joseph Harvie
   Editor’s note: Part of an occasional series focusing on issues of hunger and financial need in South Brunswick.
   The stuffing was gone. There were about five jars of assorted jellies and jams on the bottom shelf. There were no cans of Chef Boyardee to be found in any of the bins or shelves and all of the pantry’s overflow containers were empty.
   It is officially the holiday season and the South Brunswick Food Pantry is low on food and needs the support of the community it serves.
   LouAnne Wolf, director of human services, said this week the Food pantry is low on everything, but specifically needs things used to fill holiday boxes given to families in need during the holiday season.
   Through the pantry-run holiday program, local residents and corporations donate food and presents for families and their children.
   "Our nervous caps are coming on," Ms. Wolf said.
   She said she is worried because, perhaps, not all of the boxes will be filled for the 133 families that have signed up for the Food Pantry’s holiday program.
   The food pantry is a township-run operation that provides needy families with food throughout the year and serves about 20 families a month, said Ms. Wolf.
   On Monday, Ms. Wolf said the number of people who have signed up for the pantry’s holiday program has already matched last year’s total.
   "We have 46 boxes set up. We have another 87 boxes to make and that is only going to grow," Ms. Wolf said Monday. "Every day someone new comes in and as of today we are matched with last year’s totals."
   Ms Wolf said all 133 families have been adopted by families, businesses and community groups in town.
   Ms. Wolf said the pantry is out of jelly, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, pancake mixes and syrup.
   The pantry also is low on pasta, Chef Boyardee products, baked beans, canned meats (which includes chili, stew, corn beef hash and tuna), stuffing, gravy, chicken broth, condiments, Parmalat, canned sweet potatoes, cake mixes, beverages, Jell-O, cranberry sauce, pasta sauce, mashed potatoes, cereal and snacks, said Ms. Wolf.
   Ms Wolf said large monetary donations from area businesses were down this holiday season.
   "We still have some big companies that I can’t imagine won’t donate, they donate each year. One in particular gives us a huge check and sometimes that comes late in the year or after the first of the year," Ms. Wolf said.
   Two weeks ago local optometrist, Ed Niemczyk, donated $1,000 to the Food Pantry in lieu of sending out holiday cards to his patients. Ms. Wolf said she would like to see more donations like this.
   "I would challenge every other business in town do the same thing," Ms. Wolf said.
   Ms. Wolf said she sent letters through the schools to parents in South Brunswick asking for donations from families and she said the response has been outstanding from the parents in town, but their donations are not as large as ones that come from businesses in town.
   "I am concerned. As of right now we have less than half of what we got last year," Ms. Wolf said.
   All donations can be brought to the food pantry at their location in the trailer adjacent to the Community Center in Woodlot Park on New Road.
   For more information contact Ms. Wolf at (732)-329-4000, ext. 7674.