Helping hands needed in CFBNJ’s Egg Harbor Township Community Assistance Pantry
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ—June 15, 2023
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ)’s Egg Harbor Township location is facing a critical shortage of volunteers in its Community Assistance Pantry, following a refresh of the pantry’s operations. After three years distributing food in a grab-and-go style due to the pandemic, the pantry is reopening to allow neighbors back inside.
The pantry has gone from serving about 350 families per month in the summer of 2021 to serving more than 2,000 families per month currently – a nearly 500% spike over the last two years. Inflation, the benefits cliff, and the continuing effects of COVID-19 have made it increasingly difficult for South Jersey families to put food on the table.
In line with this increased demand, CFBNJ is in need of more volunteers to serve as Pantry Assistants. The organization is especially seeking those that can make an ongoing commitment, ideally at least one shift per week.
Two weekday shifts are available Tuesday through Friday: 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm. There are also two shifts on Saturdays: 8 am to 11:30 am and 11 am to 1:15 pm. In the mornings, volunteer activities include stocking shelves, loading shopping carts, sorting produce, and more. Afternoon volunteers are tasked with helping neighbors shop and stocking produce and perishable items.
“By reopening the Community Assistance Pantry to allow neighbors back inside, we afford them the dignity that comes with being able to shop as they would in a grocery store,” said CJ Cicchino, Volunteer Resource Manager at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “Volunteers are absolutely essential to our operation, and we hope that the public will step up to help in this time of great need.”
Shifts are available for both individuals and groups. Volunteers aged 12-15 must be accompanied by a parent, and 16- and 17-year-olds must have an intake form signed by a parent to volunteer alone. Visit cfbnj.org/volunteer to register.
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The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for more than 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 85 million meals through its network of more than 800 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs throughout the 15 New Jersey counties it serves. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.