Hunger, like rust, never sleeps.
This is part of the reason why the staff at the Assumption Church Food Pantry in Bayonne was so grateful when Jason Klask, a porter for Bayonne Medical Center’s Food and Nutrition Department, lugged in almost 40 cases of food. The items were donated by the hospital in order to keep pantry supplies adequate for the never-ending requests from needy residents.
“People always need to eat,” said Janice Machin, who along with Deacon Bill Giordano and other volunteers, helps keep the pantry up and running.
The general public tends to remember the food pantry around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, but the call for food is year round, Machin said.
“Our donations are down. Many people are away during the summer.” — Janice Machin
________
“And with the bad economy, donations are also down,” Machin said. “That’s why we’re particularly grateful to the Bayonne Medical Center for its donation.”
Gina Alia, production manager for the Food and Nutrition Department, said the donation included various goods, including juice, crackers, cookies, canned fruits, canned carrots, ravioli, and other items, which can be prepared at the weekly soup kitchen or as part of a distribution package for the monthly pantry.
“We welcome their help, especially this time of year,” Machin said. “Our donations are down. Many people are away during the summer.”
Since 1977
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, said Giordano, the pantry’s founder.
When the pantry first opened, it was envisioned to be open once a week. After a short time, they could only financially open every two weeks. Now the pantry is open once per month.
Packages 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 that last Saturday of every month,” Giordano said.
The pantry receives no city, state, or federal grants. Everything it distributes comes as a result of donations from parishioners, individuals, or entities such as Bayonne Medical Center.
Some of the societies connected with the church – such as St. Ann’s Society, the Rosary Society, and the Golden Agers – are particularly generous, and conduct food drives that help stock the shelves of the pantry.
The Golden Agers and a private individual recently supplied the pantry with a sorely needed refrigerator and stove.
The Cluster Soup Kitchen at the Assumption Church, which moved over from St. Mary’s Star of the Sea in early 2007, combined efforts from three downtown parishes – St. Andrew’s, St. Mary’s, and Assumption – to help provide a weekly hot meal for those who need them.
The Soup Kitchen was originally located at St. Mary’s School, and was relocated because Assumption was more centrally located in the middle of town and is also handicapped accessible.
For more information, call Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Avenue C and West 23rd Street, at (201) 436-8160.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.