Local pantries continue to prepare for holidays
By: Stephanie Brown
Local food pantries don’t skip a beat during the winter months so that the families they served don’t either.
After distributing Thanksgiving dinner baskets to needy families last month, Jamesburg and Monroe food pantries have already begun preparing Christmas dinner/toy baskets.
Over 200 families will receive holiday baskets between the Jamesburg Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg’s Deacon’s Food Cupboard and the Monroe Township Food Pantry, which is run by the township’s Office on Aging.
Jamesburg’s food cupboard will provide about 100 families with Christmas dinner baskets on Dec. 16.
In addition to the standard food items the pantry normally distributes, like hot dogs and pasta, the holiday baskets will include either a ham or turkey with all the trimmings.
"They want to be like everybody else," said Susan Schneider-Baker, a member of the Board of Deacons that runs the food cupboard. "When you’re at your lowest financially is when you need to feel more human, more like everyone else, so food is family and family is good feelings."
So far the pantry has collected one ham and 30 turkeys. Ms. Schneider-Baker said that usually more families request hams than turkeys.
Families with children will also receive a toy with their holiday dinner basket.
Ms. Schneider-Baker said the family lets the pantry know what gift their child would like to receive for the holiday. The deacons then use money in the Toy Fund to purchase that gift.
The number of families served by the pantry increases during the winter months, Ms. Schneider-Baker said.
"It’s not so much the holidays as it those extra expenses during the winter months," that spurs the need for assistance, she said.
Winter means more expensive utility bills and frequent trips to the doctor, which leaves little room in the budget for food, personal hygiene products, and cleaning supplies.
"When you only have a certain amount of money, you have to decide where to put it and where to make it stretch," Ms. Schneider-Baker said. "Utility companies are not very forgiving of being late, and then there’s rent and car insurance, which you need to pay to get to the job that pays you in the first place."
Skimping on food and personal hygiene and keeping the thermostat low can lead to more colds and time off of work.
"It’s like a downward spiral, so we try to keep people up and healthy, especially during the holidays," Ms. Schneider-Baker said.
For that reason, she said the pantry has a real need for personal hygiene toiletries, cleaning supplies, canned fruits and fruit juices, and cough drops with vitamin C.
Also, because kids have off of school for the holidays, the pantry needs more kid-friendly foods, like Easy Mac macaroni and cheese, Chef Boyardee canned goods, cereal and fruit snacks, Ms. Schneider-Baker said.
Food donations and brand new toys can be dropped off at the Presbyterian Church Office, located at 177 Gatzmer Ave.
Donations of money also are welcome. Checks may be made out to the Board of Deacons. For more information, contact the church office at (732) 521-1711.
The Monroe Township Food Pantry, which is run by the township’s Office on Aging, will be providing about 113 families with holiday dinner baskets on Dec. 18.
Pantry director Bonnie Leibowitz said The Regency’s Culture Club has provided the turkeys for all of the baskets and then some.
"When it comes to January we’ll have more turkeys to give out in the normal distribution," she said. "(The families) really do like having that protein offered even after the holiday."
She said that while the pantry is in good shape for the holidays, nonholiday foods, such as cereal, macaroni and cheese, and pastas are always needed. Also, those who would like to donate a gift for the toy drive are more than welcome to do so.
Families with children will receive three gifts per child along with their holiday dinner baskets. Ms. Leibowitz said the families told the pantry what gifts their children would like to receive this year.
"We tried to ask everyone for something specific that they really want based on what we’re able to afford," Ms. Leibowitz said. "We’re trying to make it more personal."
A list of requested gifts is available at the Senior Center. Ms. Leibowitz said those interested in purchasing a gift can choose an item off of the list.
Funding from the Kiwanis Club of Rossmoor and the Friends of the Senior Center will be used to purchase the rest of the gifts.
Ms. Leibowitz said all donations can be dropped off at the Senior Center, which is located on the lower level of the Municipal Building. The center is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Checks made payable to the friends of the Senior Center will also be accepted.
All donations for the holiday baskets should be in no later than Dec. 13. For more information, call the Senior Center at (732) 521-6111.