Food Pantry 

Due to the constant increase in the number of families and clients coming to our Food Pantry for help, our shelves are once again depleted. The number of individuals we served for the month of October increased 11% to 155 compared to our average of 140 individuals we averaged for the first nine months of 2009. Donations of non-perishable food are urgently needed this holiday season and may be dropped off at the Church Office during office hours. Especially needed are canned pasta (spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli) as well as canned meat and stew items, canned fruits & veggies, and envelopes of dry (powered) milk.

One bright note we can report is the donation of 63 frozen turkeys received on November 12th from The Gould Avenue Grammar School in North Caldwell for distribution to our families in need. This is the second year this school has donated turkeys to our pantry Last year they donated a total of 55. We can only say “thank you”, and be grateful for their expression of caring and sharing for those who are in need.

The Food Pantry at the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green provides food on an emergency basis to families in Bloomfield and surrounding communities in Essex County. We currently serve about 50 families (150 people) a month. A referral is required - please see below for our operating procedures. The Food Pantry is located on the church premises at 147 Broad Street, Bloomfield, and is open 9:30 am to 11:00 am every Wednesday and Friday. The director is Bruce Turnbull. For more information, please call the Church Office at 973-743-1796 during office hours, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Donations of non-perishable food are welcome and may be dropped off at the Church Office during office hours. We also accept monetary donations. Our food pantry is a member of the M.E.N.D. network (Meeting Emergency Needs with Dignity), serving the hungry of Essex County, NJ since 1979.

Bruce Turnbull, Food Pantry director, gives a "thumbs up" to full shelves in 2007

1. Clients are required to have an authorized referral each time they appear at the pantry to receive assistance. Examples of referrals include: Bloomfield/Glen Ridge Clergy Association, Bloomfield Family Service League, United Way, Bloomfield Health Department, Veteran's Affairs, authorized social services workers or agencies, hospitals, etc. If the client appears for the first time with no referral they should be directed to the church or agency where they may obtain the referral.
2. A referral is good for one month but if the client has an emergency situation prior to the monthly renewal date and comes to the pantry for food, the client may be given a smaller portion of food to meet the emergency. A record of this request must be recorded as detailed in (4) below, and a No Referral Form will be completed and filed with the regular monthly referrals. NOTE: The No Referral Form may be utilized to aid a client who has been assisted before and who has a record on file. This information must also be recorded, as in (4) below and is good for one month also. This applies to all members of BPCOG who require food.
3. A first-time client is required to present positive identification, which should concur with the information on the referral (Name, Address, Reason for Assistance, and Total Number Requesting Food).
4. Written records are maintained for each client on a card located on file in the pantry. This card indicates the date, reason, source of referral and total number, according to age (Children 0-17, Adults 18-65, Seniors > 65), and is updated each time a client comes to the pantry for food.
5. Monthly reports are provided to MEND, through Catholic Charities, based upon the data recorded from the referrals received for the month. The Pantry director/coordinator is responsible for supplying the required information so that the report arrives at Catholic Charities Office within the time frame specified.
6. The food is stored and distributed from a secured location and the distribution of food is determined by the size of the family, their ages as well as any special needs or restrictions the client might have due to diet, allergies or limited facilities at their residence. We also inquire if the clients have any preferences, and if items are available we try to accommodate their requests.
7. Any food distributions made to a client or clients "Off Hours" for any reason must be recorded, as in (2) No Referral Form and (4) above.
8. A "thank you" note in appreciation for any food contributions or monetary donations will be sent to the donors, and all monetary donations must be reported to the Church Treasurer for deposit into the Pantry Account. This money will be made available to reimburse purchases made for the food pantry, by individuals who submit a "Check Request Form" along with a receipt.

(April, 2008)