Montville Kiwanis Makes New Food Pantry Space Home

Six weeks after settling into a new location, the shelves are stocked at the Montville Kiwanis Food Pantry on Passaic Valley Road.

The Kiwanis Club opened Montville Township's first food pantry in 2010, taking space at the Montville United Methodist Church on Whitehall Road. But as the demand for the food pantry grew (the pantry's roster now includes more than 100 families), the pantry also began to grow out of its space.

An opportunity presented itself as the township sought local organizations to take space in a property formerly known as "The Little House" on what was once farmland. Volunteers from Home Depot and grant funding helped renovate the house to make space for the pantry, the Montville Township Police Explorers program and create a meeting room for the Montville Township Recreation Department coaches.

As far as the pantry is concerned, volunteer Deane Driscoll said the Kiwanis Club has been able to maintain the same steady operation in the new facility as was ongoing in the church, if not an enhanced experience as the pantry now has more available space. Linda Gannon, president of the pantry, has said that the pantry was beginning to run out of storage room and needed a larger area. 

The pantry shelves are now stocked with food separated by type. One noticeable aspect of the food on the shelves is the absence of cookies, sweets and other foods not traditionally deemed as "healthy."

"We want healthy, hearty, nutritional staples," Driscoll said.

While the pantry is willing to accept donations of nearly any kind, toiletries are not given out through the pantry and volunteers also try to stay away from giving out candy, cookies and other foods of that nature. What is given out upon each family's visit are milk, cereal, peanut butter, meats, vegetables, beans, rice, pasta and tomato products. During Thanksgiving, Driscoll said a limited number of turkeys were also given out.

Driscoll said there is a need for several volunteers, college-aged or older. The pantry is hoping to bring about 12 people in who can even volunteer a minimum of one day a month (the pantry is open on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Currently, the pantry receives some support from local church confirmation classes, the Pine Brook Jewish Center, Scout organizations and others. Volunteers are scheduled to assist with the pantry together.

"We felt, in the beginning, we would have two two-person teams," Driscoll said.

Now, Driscoll said the need seems to be more to have three-person teams in case one of the volunteers has a conflict with another activity in his or her personal life.

The pantry is also looking for community involvement in other ways, such as sponsorship of food drives to stock the shelves. And, of course, the easiest way to assist is through donations. Driscoll said donations can be made in the form of food, gift cards or new, unopened food.

Anyone wishing to volunteer at the pantry should contact Driscoll at 973-216-7649.