Hope Church Food Pantry Partnership- providing Essential Personal Care Products to persons in need

The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club has launched the Essential Products Initiative, in partnership with the Hope Church Pantry at the Meeting Place. Its goal and mission is to help meet a continuing demand by people in need of essential personal care products, such as diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene products and adult incontinence products. These necessities are less available to food pantries than the variety of food products commonly supplied by area food banks.

 

According to Erica DePalma, Director of the Hope Church Food Pantry at the Meeting Place, the number of people that The Pantry is serving has exploded in the last 18 months.  In September alone the Pantry delivered food to over 440 families. Of those families, greater than 80 percent need and ask for essential personal care products.  The Pantry cannot meet that need with the funds and donations available.

 

Making these products available to families in need is not just a matter of quality of life. It also promotes family stability. The Camden County Prosecutor uncovered a close link between a lack of diapers and domestic abuse.

 

These products are available in only limited quantities from area food banks. The Pantry and the Rotary Club are working to expand sources of supply, and grants and donations to support this necessary initiative.

 

The Hope Church Pantry has been in existence for 12 years and has grown from a closet in the church to a stand-alone building on the church property in Voorhees, at the corner of Cooper Road and Centennial Blvd. The Pantry serves low-income people regardless of race, gender or religious affiliation in Voorhees and the surrounding areas.

 

The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club has been an active presence in Voorhees since 2005 and has been recognized locally, regionally and by Rotary International for its efforts, engagement and commitment to helping others.  VBRC volunteers help pack and distribute items from The

Pantry and engage in a lot of other projects. Through volunteerism, donations and grants, we hope to support this project and others to improve the quality of life for those in need.

The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club has launched the Essential Products Initiative, in partnership with the Hope Church Pantry at the Meeting Place. Its goal and mission is to help meet a continuing demand by people in need of essential personal care products, such as diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene products and adult incontinence products. These necessities are less available to food pantries than the variety of food products commonly supplied by area food banks.

 

According to Erica DePalma, Director of the Hope Church Food Pantry at the Meeting Place, the number of people that The Pantry is serving has exploded in the last 18 months.  In September alone the Pantry delivered food to over 440 families. Of those families, greater than 80 percent need and ask for essential personal care products.  The Pantry cannot meet that need with the funds and donations available.

 

Making these products available to families in need is not just a matter of quality of life. It also promotes family stability. The Camden County Prosecutor uncovered a close link between a lack of diapers and domestic abuse.

 

These products are available in only limited quantities from area food banks. The Pantry and the Rotary Club are working to expand sources of supply, and grants and donations to support this necessary initiative.

 

The Hope Church Pantry has been in existence for 12 years and has grown from a closet in the church to a stand-alone building on the church property in Voorhees, at the corner of Cooper Road and Centennial Blvd. The Pantry serves low-income people regardless of race, gender or religious affiliation in Voorhees and the surrounding areas.

 

The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club has been an active presence in Voorhees since 2005 and has been recognized locally, regionally and by Rotary International for its efforts, engagement and commitment to helping others.  VBRC volunteers help pack and distribute items from The

Pantry and engage in a lot of other projects. Through volunteerism, donations and grants, we hope to support this project and others to improve the quality of life for those in need.