By Aashma Pant, Maryam Hodjaeva, and Cailee Sabates
In a global population of over eight billion people, approximately three billion suffer from food insecurity. Defined as “the condition of not having access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality, to meet one's basic needs”, food insecurity affects 44 million Americans daily. The stark differences in food accessibility force many to compromise on food quality, skip meals, or run out of food entirely, making food insecurity a serious issue that desperately needs to be addressed.
Organizations across the globe work tirelessly to aid those struggling with food security, with some closer to home than you might think. Located in Union County, the Westfield Food Pantry is one such organization. Their mission is to “feed the hungry to the best of [their] ability”. Opened 50 years ago, the pantry is independently operated and serves the entirety of the county, with about 200 clients a month within Westfield Township alone. Local families are typically referred by social service agencies or churches, and the food bank provides them with canned goods, dried goods, meats, and milk. They support and donate to smaller pantries in the county, such as St. Joe’s in Elizabeth and El Centro in Plainfield. Adding the clients of those smaller pantries, they help around 500 to 1000 clients per month.
Over the years, the organization has grown significantly. To more efficiently serve others, they now plan on moving to a new location in Westfield. Set for the fall of this year, the move to a new facility would allow them to serve people at a larger capacity. This move reflects their long term goal of establishing a permanent facility. In five years, they aim to become a micro-version of NJ Food Bank, allowing them to train more people and partner with other organizations, such as The Arc. The Arc aims to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and have locations throughout New Jersey, including one in Springfield.
The impact of food pantries and their partner organizations cannot be diminished to mere statistics. Their services support families who struggle financially and may not be able to afford enough food. Even in a wealthier town like Westfield, more families are affected than most realize. Beyond the physical impact of providing resources, there is a profound mental and emotional impact. Keith Gibbons, a trustee of the Westfield Food Bank, emphasizes the importance of human interaction. To him, the most fulfilling aspect is meeting and sharing time with those they help, an impact that cannot be quantified. The daily contact between the organization and its clients is life-changing.
Efforts are carried out by the members of the pantry, but none of it could happen without the contributions of everyday people. The Westfield Food Pantry which help add to the resources available to the community. Most of their stock (about 80%) comes from the donations from their four major food drives that occur each year. Monetary donations help the pantry buy necessary items to keep running smoothly. Donations of both food and money come from schools, individuals, small businesses, and churches. By supporting this organization, we can help ensure that no one in our community has to wonder where their next meal will come from.
More than 44 million people in the United States suffer from the tragedy of food insecurity each year. While it may seem impossible to help every person, smaller organizations such as the Westfield Food Pantry make a big difference. Not only do these small organizations provide tangible resources to those in need, they provide resources that can not be matched: genuine human connections and interactions. Change can not be expected to occur quickly. As a community, we must make our small contributions to advance the larger scale project of completely solving food insecurity.
Consider donating today—whether food, money, or your time—to make a difference in the fight against hunger. Donations to the pantry can be made here: https://thewestfieldnjfoodpantry.godaddysites.com/
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