Mother’s Cupboard is experiencing a food shortage, looking for donations and space for food drive
Mother’s Cupboard, a volunteer-operated food pantry in Washington Township, serves approximately 25 to 30 families each week, according to Director Drew Jackson. This year, the pantry has served about 625 families, which are roughly 1,825 individuals within the township.
Jackson took control of the pantry in 2010 when he saw in a local newspaper Mother’s Cupboard was asking for volunteers. When he arrived at the Municipal Building’s construction office, where the pantry was located at the time, no one was even there to unlock the doors, Jackson said.
“The biggest thing for me was giving back to the community because I’ve been in this situation before,” Jackson said. “The relationships we’ve all developed here with the people who come into the pantry are beyond heartwarming. You just feel really good about what you’re doing, because people need it.”
By partnering with the Washington Township Rotary Club, the pantry is able to receive funds from the non-profit, as well as collect donations through South Jersey Food Bank and participate with purchasing food from Philabundance, a non-profit food bank in Pennsylvania. Jackson said without the Rotary and the benefits that come with a non-profit certification, Mother’s Cupboard wouldn’t exist.
“Without their help, this would be two bags of groceries,” Jackson said, “and hopefully we had those two bags of groceries.”
Randy Carbone, Rotary member and co-director of Mother’s Cupboard, started to get involved with the pantry around the same time as Jackson.
“When I joined Rotary, just looking at the pantry — it just wasn’t healthy,” Carbone said. “There’s more people that need help, let’s do something to bring it to a level where it’s better run and the food’s there to take care of those who need it.”
Jackson remembers when Mother’s Cupboard was located in a small walk-in closet room of the Municipal Building’s construction office, serving eight to 10 families per week. Presently, tables line the walls of the council room while much larger additional storage is available within the municipal building, including shelving and refrigeration.
According to Jackson, the pantry offers a variety of food beyond the staple boxed and canned goods. For example, the pantry receives donations of fresh produce, vegetables and fruit, baked goods and bread, as well as meats, such as chicken and beef.
To be eligible for the food, Jackson said, residents simply provide proof of residency in Washington Township. Additional qualifications, such as food stamps, Medicaid, disability or Social Security, allow for the pantry to receive allotments through the government for food, as well.
Jackson said as many families within the township have been on vacation through the summer, the pantry is experiencing a shortage of food. According to Jackson, there are Mother’s Cupboard bins located throughout the township, such as in the front entryway of the Municipal Building where donations may be left throughout the week. However, the pantry is in dire need of a space to hold a food drive.
Those interested in volunteering or helping with the pantry should visit Mother’s Cupboard during operating hours, every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon, as well as from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month.
