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Community Corner

Donations Needed, But New Food Pantry on the Way

Agency that provides food for thousands plans to be in new facility in September.

The walls are up and the roof is taking shape at the future home of the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County.

Bolstered by a $1.6 million influx of funding ($120,000 of which came from the agency’s annual gala alone), the new building at the site of the former Greystone Psychiatric Park complex in Parsippany is on target to open in September, said executive director Rosemary Gilmartin. Note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated the agency raised $1.6 million at its gala.

Not a  moment too soon, Gilmartin said.

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“We need the space for the holidays. We’re moving ahead.”

Even though regular clients' use of the food pantry has leveled off—at a rate Gilmartin said is still 35 percent higher than two to three years ago—the need for space for holiday foods and more than 1,000 turkeys creates a seasonal demand for storage and distribution space.

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The completion of the new facility will mean that clients will not have to stand in the rain and cold to get their food, pantry officials have said.

Even though the food pantry is still $688,000 shy of the estimated $2.7 million cost to build the new two-story facility, Gilmartin said the board of trustees plans to finish the construction. The agency broke ground on the project last September.

Gimartin said the agency has applied for several grants, and some fund-raising activities are scheduled to complete the funding.

The slow construction business has helped the agency get good prices for supplies and labor, she said, and many companies have offered to donate material. As a result, the project could come in slightly under budget, she said.

The new facility, including offices, classrooms, and a warehouse and distribution center, is being build on land donated by Morris County in what's now called Central Park of Morris County.  The food pantry will pay rent of $1 per year for 50 years.

The land was part of  Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital until the state of New Jersey closed the old hospital and build a new one on the western end of the property, and sold 300 acres to  Morris County for $1 several years ago.

The county is developing the site into a recreation center featuring an ice rink and roller blading facility, a "Miracle Field" for handicapped athletes, a cross-country course, recreation fields and hiking paths.

At the same time, the county is developing a human services center that includes the homes of the ARC of Morris County, the Interfaith Homeless Council for Homeless Families of Morris County, The New Jersey AIDS Services  and the new food pantry center.

The county is also redeveloping a former Greystone building, the Central Avenue Complex, into a center for non-profit agencies addressing mental health issues.

The food pantry is currently located in Morris Township in the basement of a county nursing home built in 1922.

In the 11 years since the agency moved to that space, the operation has grown by 60o percent and is  serving almost 5,000 local households, distributing more than 60,000 pounds of food each month.

In 2010, the food pantry served 4,811 different households including 11,583 different persons. Volunteers delivered food to 144 families last year. It distributed 727,133 pounds of  food last year.

The food pantry’s annual report said 52 percent of clients  are working, 51 percent are between the ages of 19 and 59; and 89 percent of clients are living in households that range from one to four persons. The annual report also said 56 percent of clients earn less than  $15,000, annually and 91 percent of them earn less than $30,000.

Two  events have been scheduled to help meet this need for food.

On May 15,  nine historic sites and museums throughout Morris County are inviting the public to “Be Our Guest”  from noon to 5 p.m. in celebration of National Tourism Week.

Participating institutions will open their doors and waive their usual admission fees during those hours, although guests are encouraged to contribute  non-perishable food items for the Interfaith Food Pantry, or cash donations to the Front Line Fund benefiting Morris County military families in lieu of the normal admission fee.

The event is sponsored by the Morris County Alliance for Tourism. For more information, see www.morristourism.org or call 973-631-5151.

On June 21, The United Way of Northern New Jersey will sponsor its Day of Action. The agency, which serves Morris, Somerset, Warren, Sussex and North Essex counties, will accept donations of food at it local offices or at local food pantries. For  information, visit the United Way of Northern New Jersey's website and Morris County site.

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