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A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to feed the hungry.
FIRST IN A TWO-PART SERIES
Diane Stein of Short Hills hates food drives. She works full-time hours at the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges on a strictly volunteer basis (along with 10 other devoted board members, with the help of plenty of volunteers), and she much prefers picking up for their clients from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside, which provides more than a third of their food. And although nearly a third of the Pantry's food comes from food drives, and food drives serve an educational purpose, they definitely do not want that expired can of tuna in your cabinet.
"People will give us cans and feel they did something wonderful, but they could help more with a check or with skills," Stein told NJJN. She offered the example of a videographer donating her time to create a three-minute video for the website and a longer one for schools. "I don't want to take away the experience of a small child choosing food in a grocery store with parents for hungry people, but for adults, there are other ways to help."
On the other hand, Carolyn Lake, director of community relations and development at the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County, loves food drives, which account for 53 percent of their food, just 11 percent coming from the CFBNJ. "Some kids, for their bar mitzvah forego gifts and get food [for the pantry] instead, or do neighborhood food drives for their mitzva projects, or just have families bring food to their parties. [Donated] food is always good."
And Diane Weiss of the Bobrow Kosher Food Pantry in South Orange sees food drives as a gateway to more action. "It is a hands-on experience, which can lead to more action by individuals to help combat hunger in their community," she wrote in an e-mail to NJJN.
Feeding the hungry is a basic Jewish principle straight out of the Book of Isaiah, "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?" the prophet asks regarding the meaning of the Yom Kippur fast (58:7-8), but how to go about sharing your bread is less clear. People want to help...