![]() “It feels less like an institutional setting and more like home.” “We respect and welcome folks into our church and hopefully ease some of the discomfort of having to come to a pantry,” Davies said. “We help to supplement what they are able to give to their families and put on their tables.”Īt Peter’s Pantry, guests are served snacks and refreshments while they wait for their bags, a unique touch, Davies said, which has created relationships between volunteers and those who partake in the pantry’s services regularly. “Over time, the subsidies that families receive from the government have been cut back, so they’re getting less help financially to buy food,” Davies said. The pantry almost always has chicken for its recipients as well. During the summer, she said, many guests will receive fresh vegetables. Therefore, pantry participants receiving food through the subsidies must provide adequate documentation proving they are below the federal poverty level, for example, they may receive eligibility by being a recipient of public assistance, such as SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and other allowance programs.īecause Peter’s Pantry also collects food from private donors, those who may not meet the guidelines set forth for government subsidies but are otherwise having trouble putting food on the table, such as individuals who may be suffering from an illness causing them to be out of work, may still receive, at a minimum, an emergency bag of goods.Īlthough the allotment and donations the pantry receives varies, Davies said individuals and their families can expect to receive items such as peanut butter and jelly, a type of canned fish, pasta, pasta sauce, canned vegetables, canned fruit, cereal, soup and more. ![]() From there, Peter’s Pantry was created, originally serving only Washington Township residents, and within a few months, expanding to all of Gloucester County.ĭavies said the food items provided are subsidies from the federal and state governments. ![]() ![]() While deliberating the idea of starting a pantry, the church received a letter inviting it to become a pantry for a distributor in Cumberland County. According to Pastor Carol Davies, while looking for additional ways to serve the community, she noticed there weren’t many pantries in the immediate area that were open on Saturdays, raising a concern for residents who may have work obligations during the hours of operation. ![]()
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