The Cluster Soup Kitchen in Bayonne, sponsored by three Catholic parishes – St. Andrew’s, St. Mary’s and Assumption churches – celebrated its third anniversary in February.
Along with food pantries at the Windmill Alliance and St. Vincent’s Church, the Cluster Soup Kitchen has become one of the key institutions keeping poorer residents in the city from going hungry.
Eleanor Tiefenwerth, former executive director of the Bayonne Equal Opportunity Foundation, said that representatives of St. Mary’s, Assumption, and St. Andrew’s – urged by Msgr. Lawrence Miller of St. Mary’s Church – met in November 2007 to discuss establishing the Cluster Soup Kitchen.
“LongHorn has been very generous in donating food to the kitchen.” — Eleanor Tiefenwerth
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“There is a monthly rotation each Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m.,” Tiefenwerth said.
The preparation of food, services, and cleanup is rotated monthly through each of the churches and their societies. This includes groups such as St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen Core Group, St. Mary’s Rosary Society, the Red Hatters, the Boy Scouts, and the Youth Ministry.
While local businesses have always provided donations to the kitchen, the opening of the LongHorn Steakhouse earlier this year has been a real blessing, Tiefenwerth said.
“LongHorn has been very generous in donating food to the kitchen,” she said.
Assumption food pantry renamed
Along with the Cluster Soup Kitchen, Assumption also hosts the Assumption Food Pantry, where Janice Machin, Deacon Bill Giordano, Marianne Silvani, and other volunteers help keep the pantry up and running.
In February, this food kitchen was renamed the Deacon Bill and Ann Giordano Food Pantry in honor of the dedication both have put into keeping the place operating.
The demand for the pantry’s services, both the weekly soup kitchen and the monthly distribution of take-home food, has more than doubled over the last three years, clearly tied to the downturn in the local economy.
The pantry has been operating out of Assumption Church since 1977, and opens its doors to people about once a month – although people in need can call almost any time and get help.
Packages that are usually given out when the pantry opens include a box of cereal, three cans of vegetables, boxes of macaroni, a container of sauce, cans of soup, a can of tuna, and odds and ends like tea.
“We’re open the last Saturday of every month,” Machin said.
The pantry receives no city, state, or federal grants. Everything it distributes comes as a result of donations from parishioners, individuals, or other entities.
St. Vincent’s Food Pantry celebrates another year
“With the cooperation of many businesses, banks, associations, schools, and very generous parishioners, we have time and time again been able to distribute plentiful bags of groceries twice a month to needy Bayonne residents,” said Joan O’Brian, pantry co-chairperson at St. Vincent’s, which recently celebrated its one year anniversary.
“Our faithful shoppers, baggers, and treasurers are so committed to the work we do that they can be counted on to make sure that all clients have what is necessary and nourishing,” she added. “Romona, Vinnie, Paul, Elaine, John, Ann, and Lucille are the backbone of our pantry, and they can be counted on to do their work with willing hands and smiling faces.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.