Chatham Community Comes Together To Combat Food Insecurity

CHATHAM, NJ – As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact people in different ways around the country, many local small business owners and furloughed workers are struggling to figure out how to keep food on their table during challenging and uncertain times.

But at a times when communities have bonded together to provide solutions, a local resident has created an initiative to help her neighbors in need. Borough resident Joann Carroll has come up with a Helping Hands”, a program that works with area families that are facing food insecurity challenges during the pandemic.

The “Helping Hands” concept is simple. Donations are collected electronically and are then passed along to provide needy families with $25 ShopRite gift cards. Carroll said that the inspiration for “Helping Hands” came about after witnessing all the different ways the Chatham community has bonded together to support each other during the health and economic crisis that has affected people during difficult times.

But Carroll certainly isn’t alone in lending a hand.

Chatham-based Boxcar has joined the effort and is selling boxes of produce for contact-free pickup in Madison each week, helping area residents avoid a trip to the grocery store. Joe Colangelo, Boxcar’s CEO, has offered to donate 10 boxes to Chatham residents in need, for pickup along with the gift cards.

In addition, residents can purchase a box to be donated directly to “Helping Hands” by visiting https://platform.boxcarapp.com/listings/320/reserve.

“We’re proud to be part of the Chatham community,” Colangelo said in a news release, adding “and happy to do whatever we can to help during these difficult times.”

Chatham’s local faith leaders are also providing assistance. There is an outdoor Pop-Up Food Pantry of non-perishable items that has been established in front of the Chatham United Methodist Church sanctuary, located at 460 Main St. Rev. Jeff Markay said that the pantry is constantly active with people dropping off and picking up goods. The pantry is open 24 hours a day for people to “Give what they can. Take what they need. Care for each other”, Markay said.

For information about “Helping Hands”, visit

https://www.facebook.com/groups.ChathamWeekendMeals/ or

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q550r6aWoLWPRz8aJzLoLMAW32JRrBxO/view?usp=sharing.

Pickups take place each Wednesday from 11:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M. at the parking lot of Chatham United Methodist Church across the street from CVS on Main St. in Chatham Borough.

To donate specifically to the “Helping Hands” project, donations may be made via Venmo@JoannCarroll- 201-988-9070 or by QuickPay with Zelle at redroad14@optonline.net. If residents prefer to send a check, they may be made out to Joann Carroll with “Helping Hands” written in the memo section, and mailed to: Joann Carroll, 14 Red Road, Chatham, NJ 07928.

For further details on how to can help out in the effort to assist local families , contact Carroll at gjcarroll@optonline.net or 201-988-9070. Residents may also contact Council Members Len Resto at 201-486-1077 or via e-mail at lresto@chathamborough.org , or Carolyn Dempsey at 917-940-8825 or cdempsey@chathamborough.org.