Chester Food Pantry Still Short Despite Donation Surge

In a quiet unassuming bay next to the Chester First Aid Squad, the flurry of activity at the Chester Food Pantry on Wednesday mornings rivals the work of much larger and more automated operations.

The volunteers, led by Jacki Spinelli, work their way through the bags of donations as they sort, weigh, label and prepare deliveries for the 45 families they serve in Mendham and Chester.

On this particular Wednesday, there were more hands than usual as several people who weren't regulars dropped in to lend a hand and offer assistance.

"We had a lot more people here today than we usually have," Spinelli said. "Especially during the summer. And that is probably because we've been putting the word out."

The word Spinelli refers to is the series of articles, social media posts and fliers appealing to the community for help. Two weeks ago Spinelli spoke up after an inventory of the food pantry stock showed they were in dire straights.

"We were as low as I have ever seen us," Spinelli said. 

But that low number is deceiving. The pantry is filled with items like pasta, beans and soups but critically low on things like pet food, toilet paper, paper towels and body wash.

"There are some things that food stamps just don't buy," Spinelli said.

The cheerful crew of volunteers working their way through the donations are often stymied by expired products, which makes their work more difficult.

"Look, everyone's pantry has items that are expired in them. But people do put that stuff in a bag and give them to us," Spinelli said. "I am not going to deliver them."

According to Spinelli, it would be easier for those donating to not include those items, rather than leave it to the volunteers to pick through. Picking through those items is crucial, because once sorted each order is filled by the needs of the family.

For example, family one may have two adults and two children and need low sodium foods. Family two may have three children and one adult and prefer certain cereals or drinks.

"We've gotten to know them all pretty well," Spinelli said. "We try to set items we know they like, not just need, aside for them when they come in."
As of today the pantry is still in need of:

• Juice
• Toilet paper
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Deodorant
• Dish Soap
• Detergent
• Paper Towels
• Canned Meats
• Coffee

• Chester ShopRite
• Chester Library
• Coldwell Banker
• Community Presbyterian Church in Chester
• Ellmann Pools in Chester
• Mendham Karate Academy
• MCAW's Hive in Chester
• Starbucks in Chester
• Weichert Realtors