South Brunswick Food Pantry brings cheer, food and hope to struggling families.
By: Joseph Harvie
Nichole got married when she was 19. She married the father of her first born child, and divorced shortly afterward. Her son, Jordon, is now, 10, and is being raise by both her and her ex-husband with whom she remains good friends today.
She was then engaged to the father of her second child, Justin, 4, but never married.
"I am a very independent person. I had my first son when I was 19 and I try to get by on my own," said Nichole, who requested she be referred to by first name only.
Nichole has been struggling with bills, rent, her car and supporting her family, and she is barely able to make ends meet. Nichole moved to South Brunswick in December 2000. Before moving into her two-story apartment she was living in Somerset in her mother’s basement.
She also spent five months living in a shelter in Somerset. She said she used the program to reassess her life and make a move for the better.
"My five-month experience there allowed me to branch out and get to where I am now with my job and the roof over my head," Nichole said. "I don’t have a degree. If I did it would help, but I am taking the steps to get training which will help me move up and help me reach my goal of buying a house."
Nichole said she has family living close by, but she feels shunned by them and does not want to depend on people that are not always there for her.
"I have family around here but I don’t really consider them family because they look down on me for having kids. Sometimes I feel like the black sheep of the family and I don’t want my sons to ever feel that way," Nichole said.
Nichole said that, after moving to South Brunswick, a neighbor told her about the Food Pantry’s holiday program, which provides food and gifts for township families in need.
She said she signed up for the program.
"I don’t abuse the program. I only go to the pantry when I am out of food. And when I say I’m out of food I mean there are no meats, when I have absolutely nothing," Nichole said.
She said she does not like to rely on others and hopes that others do not abuse the program provided by the township.
"Some people use (the pantry) as a crutch. I don’t. And I think that is why me and LouAnne (Wolfe, township director of social services) have such a good rapport. I usually only come in once every six months and only when I am truly in need," Nichole said. "I’ve been facing eviction and I was going to ask LouAnne for help but I said ‘No, I am going to do this myself.’ "
Nichole said Monday that last week she was able to pay some of her rent so she would be able to make a payment on her car next week. Paying her rent was very important because her lease was up for annual renewal.
"I just renewed my lease on Friday and I’ll be here another year," Nichole said.
Nichole said she does not want to stay at her current location for more than one year, and she wants to be able to purchase a house. She said she signed her lease with the understanding that she would be able to pay off her personal debt and make advancements to her goal of owning a house.
"I’ve always been a go-getter and when I signed the lease I signed it on the condition that I would pay my credit and that I would buy by next year. I don’t want to rent past this year," Nichole said.
Helping her meet that goal is her job with McKesson HBOC, a health-care service and supply corporation. She works as an insurance coordinator at the company’s Newark office.
She said she was recently transferred to a new position in medical accounts receivable, which could move her to the company’s Somerville office.
Nichole said the new position does not include a raise, but may give her the opportunity to work closer to home.
Prior to working for McKesson, Nichole said she worked at a doctor’s office on Route 27. She said at the doctor’s office she worked for $13 an hour and worked between 40 and 54 hours a week.
"Everything you worked over 40 hours you got straight pay, there was no overtime," Nichole said. "I got benefits for myself but not for my kids."
Now working with McKesson, she has full benefits for her children and herself and a 401(k) savings program.
"It’s security and room for advancement. I am seeking opportunities for training so I can advance," Nichole said.
She said her days are long, because she has to commute to Newark.
"I wake up at 5 a.m. and get my youngest to day care by 6:30 and then head up to Newark," Nichole said.
The commute also takes a toll on her finances, between the cost of gas and wear and tear on her car.
"I am up to 98,000 miles on my car. I’ve done my breaks twice this year. I do oil changes regularly. Tolls are $28 a week, and gas is somewhere between $75 and $80 a week because of the price of gas now," Nichole said.
"This has been the year of obstacles but believe me I stand tall. My biggest concern is the roof over my head. Recently, I had a car repo coming and I owed back rent. I paid some of my rent and I will pay more this week and I’ll pay the car next week," Nichole said.
She said she often chooses which bills to pay and which to let go so she can free up enough money to keep a roof over her family’s head.
She’ll often go without paying her cable bill and will keep credit card payments at bay while she tries to maintain the roof over her head and keep water and electricity coming into the house.
"I’ll cut back on cable, so we’ll go without cable for a month. I’ll cut the house phone, my cell phone is important because the schools need to get in touch with me if I’m out of the office," Nichole said. "We won’t go out to Chuck E. Cheese’s. We won’t go out to a movie. We won’t rent a movie from Blockbuster. My son needs new sneakers now and I’ll wait to get them. I’ll wait to see what Christmas brings."
She said the boys and herself will also go without getting haircuts when money is tight and she also holds off on laundry until it is absolutely necessary.
She said her sons have enough clothes to last about three weeks and does the laundry then, an activity that costs between $25 and $30.
"PSE&G, water and sewage, medical, insurance, gas, tolls, it’s all the little things that add up. I haven’t started Christmas shopping yet. I don’t have a tree yet. I’m hoping with bonuses from work and LouAnne that I will be able to start soon," Nichole said.
She said that when she moves, she hopes to stay in South Brunswick. If not, she’ll look at Franklin Park in Somerset.
"If we move (to Franklin Park) I would put my kids in private school because I do not like the school system. South Brunswick has an excellent school system so I want to keep my kids here," Nichole said.
Nichole said with the rising cost of houses in South Brunswick, she’s not sure if she’ll be able to stay in town.
She said she has been taking consumer credit counseling and is involved in other money management programs that she hopes will help her pay off some of her debt and raise enough money to put toward the purchase of a house.
Nichole said the township and the schools have helped her keep her son active in sports.
Her oldest son played Pop Warner football and recreation basketball and received scholarships for both sports through the township so it would not cost anything for him to play.
"All I had to pay for was the football equipment," Nichole said.
The township Department of Social Services also helped to send her oldest son to a sleep-away camp for one week.
"They helped get my oldest son out to the Salvation Army camp in the summer. It’s a free sleep-away camp in South Jersey," Nichole said.
She said her son enjoyed the camp and she is grateful that he was able to have that experience. She is also thankful that the food pantry and Ms. Wolf have been there for her when she is in need.
She said she hopes one day to be independent. She has aspirations of owning her own bail bonds and day spa businesses.
She said she hopes other people using the pantry don’t misuse the program and work to better themselves so they do not have to depend on the pantry.
"Don’t make it a crutch. Don’t abuse it. If you are in desperate need then use it. It should only be used on a need basis especially since there are people that really need the support," Nichole said.

