Food pantry, in its new home, works to give hunger a knockout punch

| 05 Jul 2017 | 05:13

Pat Moulton, Brenda Ruello and Joan Waldman showcase some of the food available at the pantry (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteer Pat Moulton, Volunteer Director Nancy Potter, Sage Davis, Volunteer Sherman Williams and Volunteer Baker Bonnie Albinson, welcomed a flood of well-wishers to the open house (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Ralph Pinto, Jim Snodgrass, Rev. Blankston, Community Vocational Services Director for Pike and Wayne Counties Kim Emmet and Linda Pinto (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Clare Nied served for 25 years every Friday to distribute food to the hungry (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteer John Yanick (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteer Margaret Fottrell (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteer Jim Snodgrass, Volunteer John Yanick, Commissioner Matt Osterberg and the Rev. Blankson (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Twenty-five-year pantry volunteer Clare Nied with county Commissioner Steve Cuccini (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteer Director Nancy Potter, Jill Gambonni, and volunteer Clare Nied smiled at the new ease of organization at the new pantry (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteers and guests mingle at the open house (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteers Ellsworth and Serri VanHouten (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Jim Snodgrass with the poster he made for the open house (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Volunteers Pat Mouton and Jim Snodgrass are part of the advisory committee reformed by the Rev. Bankston (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Joan Waldman and the Rev. Van Blankston showcase some of the pantry’s offerings (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

Andrew Seder, Field Representative District Communications for Senator Lisa Baker (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

The exterior of the food pantry at 321 Fifth Street (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)

By Frances Ruth Harris
MILFORD — Some of your hungry neighbors in Pike County are homeless.
Some are retirees on limited fixed incomes.
Some are disabled.
Some are facing a temporary financial setback.
Some work at jobs that do not pay enough to feed their families once the housing and medical bills are covered.
The ecumenical food pantry, which works hard to feed every Pike resident in need, has a new base of operations, which is now humming with activity. The community celebrated pantry's relocation to 321 Fifth St. in Milford at an open house on June 22. But the dark story behind the celebration is one of continued food insecurity locally, with donations and other revenue dropping more than 30 percent since last year.
"Food insecurity equals a limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods coupled with the limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways," explained the pantry's volunteer director, Nancy Nied.
For more than 25 years, pantry volunteers have provided groceries to the neighbors in need, who visit the pantry weekly or monthly. Each family leaves with about 25 pounds of groceries.
During the summer the pantry provides supplemental food to help replace the free school lunches that some children receive during the academic year. One in five children in Pike County experiences food insecurity, Nied said.
Good Shepherd Church makes space for the pantry. With additional donated funds, the pantry buys fresh meat, eggs, and other perishable foods to add to its nonperishable offerings.
Local churches and volunteers (who are not necessarily members of a church) said they need help, and suggested ways the public can help them meet their needs:
Put on a mini fundraising event with a portion of the proceeds of a day's sales going to the Food Pantry
Youth organizations can do cookie or lemonade stands for the pantry
Donations can be made in memory of a loved one
Birthdays or anniversaries or other celebrations can request donations to the pantry in lieu of gifts.
Volunteers are needed as well as donations. Help celebrate American's abundance by calling Nancy Potterat at 570-618-1568.
Checks may be made payable to the Ecumenical Food Pantry and mailed to 321 Fifth Street, Milford, PA 18337.

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