Co-chairman’s Message: Harold “Pete” Peters – January 2017
It’s been my pleasure for the past 12 years to be part of 97 volunteers all of whom help to make our Lacey Food Bank possible. It’s heartwarming to be able to help over 280 families fight hunger. We are thankful and grateful to so many local businesses and local folks who support the cause with foods and monetary donations. Because of this help, and allocated foods from the U.S.D.A. we’re able to keep our heads above water. This allows us to help each family monthly with approximately 50 to 60 lbs of food, a $10 ShopRite grocery card for perishables, and an extra $25 grocery card at Christmas.
It takes a lot of behind the scenes work during the weeks prior to distribution to make this end product successful. They keep our food bank open every weekday between 10 am and noon, and a few Saturdays, they use their own vehicles to pick up local foods, they work extra hours to inspect, sort, stock, and bag these tons of food. They keep watch of our refrigerators and freezers, answer phone calls, take care of issuing emergency food for those in need, and the work goes on and on.
We are seeking certain folks with this same passion who care to care for others. Stop in for a tour during our open hours 10 am to noon daily and say hello.
Wishing everyone reading this, a Healthy, Happy New Year.
Co-chairman’s Message: Ed Weisbrot January 2017
The Lacey food Bank was busier than ever in 2016. We distributed food to families; school supplies and Christmas presents for kids. In conjunction with Lacey Township’s churches, we helped feed nutritious lunches to kids over the summer months.
One initiative many are not familiar with is our Social Services program. Sometimes our clients have unexpected strains on their already tight budgets. Sudden illness or loss of employment can lead to decisions like paying the rent or repairing the car, or which utility bill can be put off the longest before service is disconnected.
The Lacey Food Bank has a limited amount of funds to help out with a rent or utility payment, a car repair or a used appliance.
When donors contribute to our food bank, we ask that a small portion of their contribution be earmarked for Social Services. Sometimes it is just the help a client needs to get them over a rough patch and back on their feet again.
It is very gratifying to be able to help others less fortunate. Won’t you lend a hand?
THE SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
The Lacey Food Bank has formed a new non-food committee under “Social Services”- as a way of helping clients who are going through a crisis, whether it be the loss of refrigeration in the middle of the summer, a car repair, a broken appliance, eviction, utility shutoff, or a multitude of other problems that a small act of kindness can solve. To become involved in this committee please contact :
Emergency Fund Chairman, Ed Weisbrot 609-693-1085
Requests for help will go through our committee of clergymen\trustees.
Click below to securely contribute to this special fund using Paypal
or
send us a check the old fashioned way, made out to
Lacey Food Bank
818 W. Lacey Rd
Forked River, NJ 08731
and note on the bottom of check – “emergency fund”
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED!
FOOD DONATIONS
We are often asked what we need and the answer is just about everything.
We Always Need:
- Peanut Butter / Jelly
- Juice, Canned and Dry Fruit
- Paper Products, soap, laundry & dish detergent, toothpaste & shampoo
- Cereal, Cereal Bars
- Canned tuna, chicken, stew, hash, ham, corned beef, salmon
- Spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes
- Canned vegetables, corn, peas, carrots, green beans, potatoes
- Dried potatoes, rice, pasta, macaroni & cheese, hamburger & tuna helper products
- crackers, cookies, raisins, juice packs & treats for our “baby birds”
- sugar, flour, shelf stable & canned milk, coffee, tea & cocoa mix.
- Condiments: Mayo, catsup, mustard, salad dressing
- Cleaning supplies, paper products, laundry detergent, dish detergent, shampoo, toothpaste
Rule of thumb… If YOU need it… so do they!
PLEASE DON’T LEAVE DONATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING
The generosity of our Lacey Community is what keeps the Lacey Food Bank going and growing. We would ask however that you not leave your donations outside the building. We try to have a volunteer on site Monday, through Friday from 10 AM-Noon. If we are closed, please call 609-242-2848 and we will be happy to make other arrangements. Food donations left outside overnight or over a weekend are subject not only to the weather but also are an attraction for pests and animals. Many times, these donations must be thrown out.
Please help us by contributing donations other than food to the appropriate charities.We do not have the storage space or the manpower to handle clothing or other household donations at this time.
Thanks for your support!! Laura Caroccia, LFB
IMPORTANT NOTICE
“Every year about this time, a solicitation comes from the Monmouth Ocean Food Bank, directed at our schools and youth organizations. First, we would like to say that Monmouth Ocean Food Bank is the “mother” food bank for food pantry & soup kitchens in both counties and we value our alliance with them. The Lacey Food Bank benefits from this association by being able to buy pantry food at a reduced cost, and to receive free USDA food that is distributed to us utilizing MOFB as a clearing house.
That said, what most people in Lacey do not realize is that when you hold a food drive for them here in Lacey, the food is sent all the way up to Monmouth County. When we receive the monthly list of available foods , we order & BUY the food from them at a (sometimes) slightly lower cost than from the supermarket.
Then Monmouth Ocean turns around and delivers it back down to Lacey to us. This hardly makes sense, and forces us to purchase the same food that you could have given to us directly.
Food drives held within our Lacey community are critically important to us in meeting our commitment to those who need food.
I would ask you to consider this when making your decisions to donate to out of town food drives. Please consider “doing your little bit of good” right here in Lacey Township. Use the bins at Shop Rite or drop your donation off at the Lacey Food Bank, Monday to Friday from 10 am-Noon. Those hours not convenient? Give us a call, we’ll work something out. The volunteers and the clients of the Lacey Food Bank would really appreciate it. ”
Laura Caroccia