Hungry Heart: Eatontown Food Pantry Provides Lifeline to Healthy Eating

Tucked alongside one of the large commercial buildings on Industrial Way, the Eatontown Food Co-op might be slightly off the beaten path, but for many borough residents, it’s a resource that provides a lifeline to healthy eating during difficult times.

“There’s enough people in Eatontown with needs,” said Joel Stark, who is the director of the coop. “And they’re hungry.”

According to U.S. Census data (2005-2009 American Community Survey), 7 percent of families in Eatontown are living below the poverty line, as are 9.6 percent of individuals.

Stark and his band of helpers opens the doors to the food pantry every other Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m. to Eatontown residents who meet the criteria for assistance.  Those receiving assistance must live in the borough and undergo an interview with Stark and fill out paperwork detailing the number of people in the household and additional assistance being received.

The food pantry is funded mostly through donations: whether through school or community food drives; monetary donations through a local church or Lion’s Club; or the 25 or so Mason jars placed on the counters of local businesses throughout the borough for patrons to drop in a few coins (to date, the pantry has collected about $4,400 in coins since 2008).

On a recent Wednesday, Stark greeted each of the clients that filed in soon after the noon opening by name, and joked with them as they waited for their bags of food.

While Stark catches up with clients and polices the sign-in sheet, a group of volunteers—mostly fellow Lion’s Club members—bag an assortment of food based on the number of people in the household.

Boxes and cans fill the shelves of the food pantry’s main storage area and freezers and refrigerators line a far wall, filled with meats and dairy products. A storage room off to the side of the main area is filled with dry goods waiting to be stocked on the shelves.

A majority of the food is purchased monthly through the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Stark explained that any of the 263 organizations that receive food items from the FoodBank pays 18 cents per pound.

“We can’t get enough to give away,” said Stark.

He said that on March 2, the food pantry experienced its busiest day since relocating to the Industrial Way location five years ago with about 70 “mouths” looking for food.

“We were crushed,” he said.

Stark said that since the economy has slumped, he and his workers have noticed a difference in the type of residents seeking help.

“We get people that drive much better cars,” he said.

On that day, a woman and her young son carried their bags filled by the food pantry out to their Acura SUV and pulled out of the parking lot.

If you go:

Eatontown Food Co-op: 15 Meridian Rd. (left side of building), Eatontown, (732) 610-8588. Open noon-3 p.m. every other Wednesday (March 23 next date).