Holy Spirit Verona Food Pantry Now to Serve Essex County Residents Only

Effective October 2023, our Food Pantry will be available to Essex County residents only. Our leaders have determined that our small congregation is not able to sustain the large numbers of shoppers we have been seeing since the pandemic. Shoppers in attendance at our August and September Food Pantry days were made aware of this change and provided with a list of alternate food assistance organizations. At our Food Pantry on Saturday, October 28, shoppers will be required to provide photo identification. We will allow one person per household to shop, and we will only accept residents of ESSEX COUNTY. 

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Need Food Assistance?​

There is no shame in asking for help. Life circumstances sometimes create times of need. No one should have to go hungry.

The Food Pantry is open from 9-11am on the 4th Saturday of every month. To see the next open date, visit our website calendar. Any Essex County resident in need is welcome. If you need assistance in an emergency, before this date, please contact our church office at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (973) 239-2850 to make arrangements. We are very sensitive to people's privacy and will do whatever we can to ensure anonymity of recipients.

LIST OF CURRENT FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

Donations

Food Items (unexpired non-perishable items) are accepted at all times; click HERE for our list of current needed items. Donations can be dropped off in our 24-hour bin located just outside the parking lot door of the Church building.

Financial Support is appreciated for us to be able to purchase low inventory items and be able to provide gift cards (when possible) to shoppers; the Food Pantry is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit and your financial donation is tax deductible. You may mail a check to the Church address (put "Food Pantry" in the memo), donate online by clicking here for our e-payment option or via Venmo
Holy Spirit Verona @Jerry-Racioppi-2 [6663]
and put "Food Pantry" in the comments.

Volunteering

On days that the pantry is open, we need assistance with getting ready, greeting shoppers and cleaning up. 
​These are just a few of the tasks that require assistance:

• set-up the Friday evening (5-6pm) before the 4th Saturday
  
• two shifts of volunteers to staff the pantry (8:15 to 9:45am and 9:45 to 11:15am)
  
• greeting shoppers when they arrive
• clean-up at 11am on 4th Saturday

Other opportunities include

• publicity & fund raising
• organizing food donations​

Next Food Pantry Distribution Day is Saturday, October 26

For the month of October, we will open our Food Pantry on Saturday, October 26, the fourth Saturday of the month. The Pantry will accept Essex County residents only (ID required) as shoppers in the lower level from 9 to 11am. Shoppers will remain in their vehicles with a limited number being invited inside at a time. Home deliveries are still available for Verona/Cedar Grove residents who are unable to visit Pantry; contact our Church Office for arrangements.   

The first shift of volunteers is from 8:15-9:45am and the second shift is from 9:45-11:15am. The Food Pantry is typically open the 4th Saturday of every month from 9-11am. For more information see: holyspiritverona.org/food-pantry.

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