As coronavirus crisis continues, two NJ teens work to stock their local food pantry
MORRIS PLAINS- After witnessing dozens of cars lined outside a local bank, two Chatham friends have teamed up to stock their local food pantry, recognizing the increasing need to provide food during the coronavirus crisis.
Matthew Gallop, 16, and Ali Dorrego, 15, launched the Chatham Sharing is Caring Food Donation Drive just two weeks ago. As they sat in their driveways, the teens coordinated food deliveries to the Interfaith Food Pantry and Resource Center in Morris Plains.
"[The need] must be awful in the area because we have so many cases of COVID," Gallop said. "I reached out to Ali because we have been family friends for years. Since we live on the same block, it was easy to partner while still social distancing."
After the Interfaith Pantry made a call for donations, the two set up a non-contact drop-off food pick-up. Local residents request a donation pick-up to their homes, the teens pick up the food and deliver the donations to the food pantry once a week. During their second week of operation, the duo delivered over 800 pounds of non-perishables to the food pantry. They hope to continue their donation services after stay-at-home orders are lifted.
"We still believe there will be a need for donations, so we would like to run a few larger donation drives during the year," Gallop said.
Earlier this month, the Interfaith Food Pantry announced an increasing need for food donations. Under normal circumstances, the food pantry relies on its April fundraiser to provide food to clients through the spring and into the fall. In the last four days, the food bank has distributed more than 45,000 pounds of food to more than 300 households. In one day, the food bank spent $22,000 to replenish its supply.
"We are now facing an unprecedented challenge as demand is picking up and we are bracing for an influx of unemployed workers," said Carolyn Lake, Executive Director of Interfaith Food Pantry and Resource Center.
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Throughout New Jersey, hundreds of residents continue to show up at food banks as the pandemic impacts the economy, employment and the ability for low-income families to make ends meet. In Parsippany, hundreds lined up at a church parking lot for donated bags of groceries. The Community Food Bank of New Jersey, the state’s largest anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization, has started a three-shift, 24-hour operation at its facility in Hillside.
The food bank distributed "enough food for nearly 4.8 million nutritious meals in March 2020 alone," including 20,000 emergency meal kits in 11 counties, and 9,000 "family packs" in Newark, Clifton, Passaic and Paterson.
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Gallop and Dorrego continue their classes online and on their free time, coordinate their donation drive. From sewing masks to contacting local senior centers the high school teens hope to encourage others to help in their communities and stay busy.
"Through simple gestures, we can all make this situation less complicated and through kindness, we can all make an impact," Dorrego said.
Jessie Gomez is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com and NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: jgomez@gannettnj.com Twitter: @jessiereport