Submission #28077 by South Jersey Men'S Club - Cherry Hill, NJ (503)
2023
I have read the 2023 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
SJMC to the Rescue for a Food Pantry
Fundraising
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When the Betsy and Peter Fischer Food Pantries of the Jewish Family and Children Service (JFCS) of Southern New Jersey lost its funding for obtaining toiletries in the latter half of 2022, the South Jersey Men’s Club (SJMC) stepped to the plate and raised funds and obtained toiletries to fill the void as part of a humanitarian endeavor. As part of this effort, SJMC members actually purchased the toiletries themselves and delivered the items to the pantry building.
The Men’s Club has been supporting and facilitating pantry outreach to help feed and supply food and necessary supplies for needy individuals and families in the Cherry Hill and contiguous areas for more than five years. Every other week, teams of club members take turns volunteering their services to stock shelves, bag supplies and deliver provisions to those in need.
The SJMC also provides other services to the pantry. For example, when the pantry badly needed new shelves for its facility, the club stepped forward and raised funds to purchase new shelving units and then donated and assembled the shelves. When it became necessary for the pantry facility to move to a new location in 2022 to better meet its expanded needs, SJMC assisted in the transfer process.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the pantry experienced a steady increase in the number of clients requesting help. Unfortunately, due to a change in regulations by a major source of funding, the funding for the purchase of toiletries came to an end. The result was that hundreds of needy clients would no longer have received items such as toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and deodorant.
The SJMC challenged its members to make donations, with a $1,000 match to be put up by the club. We exceeded our expectations with donations of funds and actual products totaling more than $1,600 in value for a total to date of more than $2,600.
When we learned that the JFCS had been paying high prices for the items, rather than just providing the funds to the pantry, the SJMC put in the time and effort to do the actual shopping, going to places like Dollar General and Dollar Tree. We shopped for the best prices and used our tax-exempt status to purchase the items. The result was that the pantry has been getting nearly 25 percent more items than if the SJMC had just donated the money so they could make the purchases through their normal channels. We have been providing toiletries for the last three months and are about to begin a second round of fundraising.
The SJMC also provides other services to the pantry. For example, when the pantry badly needed new shelves for its facility, the club stepped forward and raised funds to purchase new shelving units and then donated and assembled the shelves. When it became necessary for the pantry facility to move to a new location in 2022 to better meet its expanded needs, SJMC assisted in the transfer process.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the pantry experienced a steady increase in the number of clients requesting help. Unfortunately, due to a change in regulations by a major source of funding, the funding for the purchase of toiletries came to an end. The result was that hundreds of needy clients would no longer have received items such as toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and deodorant.
The SJMC challenged its members to make donations, with a $1,000 match to be put up by the club. We exceeded our expectations with donations of funds and actual products totaling more than $1,600 in value for a total to date of more than $2,600.
When we learned that the JFCS had been paying high prices for the items, rather than just providing the funds to the pantry, the SJMC put in the time and effort to do the actual shopping, going to places like Dollar General and Dollar Tree. We shopped for the best prices and used our tax-exempt status to purchase the items. The result was that the pantry has been getting nearly 25 percent more items than if the SJMC had just donated the money so they could make the purchases through their normal channels. We have been providing toiletries for the last three months and are about to begin a second round of fundraising.
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Original Program