Cambridge students collect cereal to fill shelves at township pantry.
By: Elaine Worden
Boxes of every kind of cereal imaginable were piled in the main hallway of Cambridge School late last week. Hundreds of plastic bags brimming with boxes of Golden Grahams and Fruit Loops stretched out across the hall and into one of the classrooms.
During a food drive that ran from May 9 to Friday, Cambridge students collected 196 boxes of cereal for the township Food Pantry. The pantry picked up the cereal Monday.
"We do it now because people kind of forget about the Food Pantry," said Cambridge School nurse Dawn Guidice.
Ms. Guidice has been running the cereal drive for the past three years, and each year the school collects and donates cereal and Parmalat for the pantry.
The cereal, said Ms. Guidice, is a way for students to help the younger township children who are in need, plus, it’s easy for those children to make: just grab a bowl, add milk and voila an instant meal.
Ms. Guidice picks two students (one boy and one girl) from each fifth-grade class to act as helpers during the drive. The students count the cereal that comes in each day and make announcements on the loud speaker to encourage their classmates to keep up the good work.
"We remind the kids what our goal is, and then I type it out for them and they read it out at 3:15," she said.
The helpers said they enjoy being a part of the drive and lending a helping hand to the community.
"Well, I like that we’re doing it for a good cause," said helper Katie Lordi. "If the schools don’t help out, then the kids won’t have anything to eat."
Stephen Eisen said it’s important to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, and to help those who are lest fortunate.
"Some people don’t have what you have," he said. "It’s important because it helps people."
Ms. Guidice said holding the drive at this time of year reminds students that people need help all the time, not just around holidays like Thanksgiving.
"It’s fun and we get to help other kids," said student Jackie Garneau.
"Some kids don’t have enough money to buy any food and without it they’d be hungry," said Jackie.
The pantry is in need of tuna, canned chicken, beef stew, chili, canned pasta, coffee, tea, canned potatoes, mashed potatoes, Parmalat, macaroni and cheese, rice, baked beans, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, tomato sauce, canned crushed tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, pickles, cake and brownie mix, snacks, popcorn, peanuts and juice.
The pantry also accepts donations of gift cards from Stop&Shop and other supermarkets.
Donations may be dropped off at the Community Center at Woodlot Park on New Road. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call Township Social Services Director LouAnne Wolf at (732) 329-4000 ext. 7674.

