Everittstown United Methodist Church, located at 415 County Route 513, Pittstown, N.J., recently opened an emergency mini-food pantry.
The mini food pantry, also known as a “Blessing Box,” is the result of a few years of planning.
“The pieces finally started coming together,” said Bette Mayers, vice president of the congregation’s church council, “when one of our attendees volunteered to lend his expertise to making the project a reality.
“We wanted to offer a way to help supplement the more established food pantries in our local area. People in our community area who run out of vital necessities now have a place to go to obtain non-perishable items such as diapers, powdered milk, peanut butter, and other food items. Our purpose is to fill in when local food pantries are not open.”
Frenchtown resident Sarge Russell, Mayers said, offered his expertise at putting the blessing box together. “He graciously provided the metal box, which forms the heart of the mini-food pantry.
“Sarge was able to take a metal cabinet he had,” Mayers said, “and fashioned a framework around the box as well as a small roof over it as protection from the elements.
“The ‘blessing box’ was then installed near the driveway to the church’s parsonage. A large piece of cedar wood provides both a shelf to support the box and a place where those using the emergency food pantry are able to pick out the items they desperately need.”
The mini-food pantry is located near the driveway to the church’s pastor’s house. Signs clearly indicating the location of the unit are positioned at entrances from both Route 519 and Route 513 to the church parking lot.
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