SWEDESBORO — This time each year we give thanks for the many blessing we receive. The people at King’s Things are so thankful for the support of community, the many churches and the volunteers helping to fulfill their mission “To Feed and Clothe the Needy”.
This year the Senior Corp has named Carl Rainer “Volunteer of the Year. Rainer was honored with a Proclamation issued from the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Rainer manages the food pantry as well as the thrift store. As you may know the pantry feeds approximately 2,000 people per year. This program gives a balance of not only canned and dry foods but meat from various programs.
Jersey Fresh has donated in season from Fruit Valley Farm Market as well as other farmers and garden grown vegetables from the Girl Scouts. Vouchers are also issued and redeemed at Botto’s Market for perishables (bread, milk, eggs, cheese and more).
Kings Things purchases other items each week to balance the inventory. Rainer purchases tons of food each month from the Food Bank of South Jersey. Joe Denny, Kings Things treasurer, also spearheads our Benevolence Program in which they are able to help families that are in financial distress.
Each month King’s Things pays out an average of $4,000. They research each application by calling the utility company, and then make suggestions to the applicant and respond within 48 hours and sometime even within hours.
Last year in preparation for our Christmas program, they picked up 14 pickup trucks from the schools in Logan, Kingsway and the Swedesboro Woolwich School systems. They estimate seven tons of dry foods. Thanks go to Dan Stevens from Bethesda Methodist for the strong folks with trucks that helped.
As always they are in need of people who can volunteer to help either in the pantry or retail stores. By being all volunteers, they are able to return over 80 percent of revenues to the community.
If you can spare three hours a week, give them a call or drop in for a tour.
