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Food pantries help bring the community together. People make donations and provide food for those in need. One example is the New Jerusalem Church Food Distribution Center.
The food pantry serves over 50 families in Saint James. People line up on the side of the building and the employees provide the food they need in amounts appropriate to the size of their families.
“Basically, everybody who comes to the pantry lines up and we pre-pack our boxes or bags with food pertaining to how many there are in the family,” said Ruth Roman, the director of the food pantry.
Roman has been the director of the pantry for three years and her goal has been to to get the community more involved. She has made contact with local schools, eateries and other businesses, some of which include St. James Bagels, Panera Bread and bread factories in Ronkonkoma.
“We get as far as people from Queens that come,” she said. “We are an emergency food pantry here.”
In addition to operating the food pantry, Roman also runs a non-profit group called the ‘Gracious Givers of Long Island.’ She has gained over 1,000 members and she operates this from her home in Brentwood.
“I combine them both and I distribute from the house,” she said. “We have also received clothing donations and I put them out here. Everybody gets clothes for free.”
In addition to her efforts at the New Jerusalem Church, Roman also reaches out to other churches and their food pantries. She picks up supplies from these areas and help offer food for the community.
“Island Harvest could only get so much from them so I have my scheduled pickups from our local food bank, but it’s not enough,” she said. “It’s not enough to feed the people because they are coming from all over. So that’s why I rely on our community here.”
The St. James Food Pantry is expanding their effort to provide food and clothes for families in need. For those who are looking to make a donation or help out a family, the Church is located at 184 Woodlawn Avenue, Saint James, NY 11780.
The New Jerusalem Church Food Distribution Center’s hours are:
- Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m.
- Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Fridays are by appointment
