King’s Things has been around since 1983 founded by five churches in Swedesboro with a mission “To Feed and clothe the needy”. Over the years our food pantry has fed thousands of families in the greater Swedesboro Area. Our community outreach programs have prevented homelessness, prevented Atlantic City electric service cut offs, as well as the loss of heating from South Jersey gas and fuel oil.
Most people in the community know of our Thanksgiving drive thru turkey and trimmings give away, 250 units for the last year. At Christmas applications are received and 200+ families received a poinsettia, fresh fruit, a turkey food for a week and wrapped gifts for children up to 18 years as well as our senior citizens.
Our pantry is open Wednesday, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Thursday evening from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., 52 weeks per year.
Funding these programs is derived from the sale of donated products in the Thrift and Furniture stores. Here in lies the problem. Key volunteers are going out on medical leaves. Some volunteers are working two and three shifts per week.
Our volunteers unfortunately are aging, and new volunteers are disparately needed to fill in the voids in the schedules. Plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas may be scaled back as well as the content of the foods and financial aid. Gretchen Kunkle our Thrift store manager sent me an urgent note asking me to post her message.
“King’s Things needs you. We are all volunteers and in order to keep our doors open it takes people. We are open six days per week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday thru Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Our volunteers work three hour shifts: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 4: p.m., 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Please help us serve our community with your time. It will do your heart good to know we are helping reach out to so many people.
Be an Angel. All it takes is three hours per week of your precious time. Please contact me at 856-467-3066.”
Sincerely
Gerry Siglow, King’s Things
Swedesboro
