Volunteers at the Samaritan Center food pantry in Manalapan helped to feed hungry individuals in Manalapan, Marlboro, Millstone Township and Englishtown for many years under the direction of Regina Finn.
When Finn died in February 2013, the center’s board of directors and volunteers carried on in her absence and her memory while searching for someone who could, one day, take the lead in overseeing the operation.
That day came recently when Peter Campanelli noticed an advertisement in the St. Thomas More Church, Manalapan, bulletin for a volunteer position as executive director of the Samaritan Center.
Campanelli, a retired psychologist who established and ran a successful nonprofit organization for many years, thought his background would be a good fit for the position. Campanelli is the former president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Community Living. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York and New Jersey.
He was recently named executive director of the Samaritan Center.
“Over the years, I have seen ads about the Samaritan Center, we have donated to the Samaritan Center, but I have never paid much attention because I have been so busy in my career,” Campanelli said. “So I decided to make a phone call and kind of learned all about it and that’s how I ended up doing what I’m doing.”
As executive director, Campanelli will provide overall management of the center’s operations and agency relationships.
“We are pleased to have Peter oversee the day-to-day operation of the center,” Samaritan Center Board President Tony Morelli said. “Peter’s senior level experience in the not-for-profit sector will greatly enhance our ability to provide hunger relief services in our community.”
Campanelli has lived in Manalapan for 27 years and raised three children in town with his wife, Patricia, who is a visiting nurse.
Campanelli said he was “blown away” when he visited the Samaritan Center, which has its headquarters in municipal space on Route 522, Manalapan.
“I have been able to witness a lot of the folks who come to pick up their food when it is distributed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and these are some very needy folks,” he said. “There are about 20 people who volunteer to do this work. There is no payroll associated with the Samaritan Center. I consider it an opportunity and a privilege to help them a little in their work.”
Campanelli said he hopes to follow in Finn’s successful footsteps when it comes to running the center.
“Regina Finn’s ability to run the center is legendary,” he said. “She ran it for many years and for the most part, as near as I can tell, the Samaritan Center has really been functioning over the last 14 months or so on the strength of her legacy. She organized it and it has just been floating along. It seems sad. Regina left this huge gaping hole that I don’t know if I am going to be able to fill, but I am certainly going to give it a shot.”
Campanelli said he will try to increase the fundraising capacity of the organization.
He said the largest budget item in the organization is the purchase of food, which is bought from food banks and grocery stores. The center’s purchase of food is supplemented by food drives that are held by schools, churches and organizations, and through monetary donations.
Campanelli said the purchase of food runs about $40,000 to $50,000 per year.
A wireless Internet set-up is being installed at the center’s offices to accommodate a new computer system that was purchased with a grant from the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, which also funded a van for the Samaritan Center.
Morelli said the Samaritan Center currently serves about 1,100 people a month.
“We need somebody in that job who can coordinate and motivate volunteers, organize the place and provide the general dayto day direction,” he said. “Peter has offered to step in as executive director, and we are really fortunate to have him.”
The Samaritan Center is at 211 Route 522, Manalapan, behind the Manalapan Senior Center. Individuals who are interested in donating, volunteering or receiving assistance may call the Samaritan Center at 732-446-1142. Contact Amy Rosen at [email protected].