Volunteers give pantry its neighborly feel
By Davy James, Staff Writer
While the South Brunswick Food Pantry continues its struggle to provide a happy holiday season for the less fortunate in the area, it has come to rely on volunteers as an important cog in helping it meet the needs of the community.
With the food donations that come into the pantry, people are needed to sort the food, check expiration dates and stock the shelves with each drop off.
”The group of people at the food pantry are so caring, so generous and so hardworking,” said volunteer Maria Polansky, who also serves as the chair of the Social Services Advisory Council. “It’s a dynamic group of regular volunteers that come in to help. People pool their efforts to get the job done and it really is a great environment to be in.”
Ms. Polansky started volunteering for the pantry about seven years ago with her two sons, who needed community service hours to make confirmation at their church. Ms. Polansky and her sons stayed on after the community service hours were fulfilled because of the importance of volunteers to the pantry.
”It’s nice to see the generosity of the community while you’re in there,” Ms. Polansky said. “You meet some of the clients and you get to see how grateful and appreciative they are when they come in.”
When large donations are expected, such as through the Scouting for Food program, the work of volunteers is vital to help catalogue the donations and stock the shelves.
”We all know the common goal so there are great attitudes and it’s a real team effort,” Ms. Polansky said. “It’s amazing; you wait all morning wondering if anyone is going to donate anything and then all of a sudden the Scouts are showing up with piles and piles of food. And you think, ‘how are we going to get this done?’ But it’s really a group effort and makes you feel part of the community.”
Ms. Polansky and her family also participate in Social Services’ Adopt-a-Family program, which provides holiday gifts for less fortunate families in the township. Ms. Polansky said some of the items her family has bought for the less fortunate include a comforter for a single mother as well as jeans, socks and underwear for the woman’s 17-year-old son.
”You just get an anonymous wish list from a family and you provide some of the gifts wrapped and ready to go,” Ms. Polansky said. “When I was volunteering I’ve seen people come in and pick up holiday boxes with food and gifts at Christmas time and some of them had tears in their eyes. They couldn’t believe the generosity of the community pitching in and helping.”
Ms. Polansky said the volunteer work done by her and her children is invaluable to them, especially during the holidays.
”You’re not only doing a good deed but you’re also making people feel good,” she said. “There are people out there in need and it’s good for them to know that there are people thinking about them.”
The South Brunswick Food Pantry is currently low on a number of food items needed to complete holiday boxes for the 211 families it’s currently serving.
The pantry is in need of Parmalat, tuna, Chef Boyardee, cereal, oatmeal, cranberry sauce, coffee, jelly, pancake mix, syrup, chicken broth and snack foods. The panty recently received monetary donations from Crossroads Middle School North and South, which donated $1,070 from a recent middle school dance and a $1,117 donation from a book sale at Crossroads North.
”What they did was wonderful and we’re so thrilled with the huge turnout,” said Social Services Director LouAnne Wolf. “The student council agreed to have all the funds come to help the less fortunate. Thanks to everybody who has volunteered and made a donation. Please keep them coming.”
To volunteer for the food pantry or to make a donation, call (732) 329-4000, ext. 7674.