A box of food means a sigh of relief

Pablo Hernandez was one of the 61 individuals who came to Catholic Charities’ office in Penns Grove on July 24 to pick up food, undeterred by the heatwave and intermittent drizzling.

Hernandez had first contacted Catholic Charities when he was living out of motels. “I got hurt on the job and can’t work now with the pandemic,” he said, pointing to his cane.

“I lost my car, my home, everything. I didn’t think that [Catholic Charities staff] would be able to help me. I thought my luck was just too bad. But they did. And having this food for my family is a huge help, because by the end of the month, I don’t have much left,” he said.

He added that he feels relief knowing that he will be able to provide healthy meals to his son. 

This food distribution was one of 34 food distributions that Catholic Charities has held in South Jersey in recent months for those experiencing unemployment and other financial hardships brought about by the pandemic.

Another resident of Salem County, Joyce Eckhart, who attended the drive was accompanied by her nursing aide.  

“I just don’t have the money for groceries,” Eckhart explained, adding that Social Security and disability benefits are not enough to pay her rent and cover her medical bills.  

Her nursing aid, Darrell Bergen, said that her car had recently been totaled and her work hours had been cut, resulting in financial strain. 

For these residents, as well as dozens of others who were served at Catholic Charities’ offices in Vineland, Atlantic City and Cape May that day, a box of food means a sigh of relief.  

During this food distribution, attendees were met with a welcome surprise: fresh cheddar cheese which had been donated to Catholic Charities USA and then distributed through its network, including Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden. 

Cristina Chillem, Director of Health and Wellness at Catholic Charities, asked each client about what they planned to make, while also providing them with additional information about Catholic Charities’ services. As individuals talked about what they planned to dish up — mac and cheese, quesadillas — their faces lit up.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten cheese from a food distribution before” laughed an elderly woman, who was accompanied by her friend. 

Talking about cooking in general, she added, “I can make the best lasagna you’ll ever eat.” That assertion was quickly disputed by her friend, as the two bickered about whose lasagna recipe was better.  

Chillem has used these food distributions as a way to help enroll individuals and families in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to help ease the financial strain of feeding their families. The SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, are used to purchase essential groceries.

She explained, “Our outreach to clients at food distributions has been, in my experience, the most effective way to connect people to SNAP benefits. I see so many cases where a person has not applied for this benefit because they were unsure of or daunted by the application process, could not secure transportation to the welfare office, or did not want to take off work to wait several hours for an appointment at the welfare office.

“Being at the distribution site with a hard-copy application eliminates these barriers,” she said. “I have witnessed clients express tremendous relief when they experience this convenience and support.”

Coordinators of the food drive made a point of expressing their gratitude to The Walmart Foundation for its long-standing support of their SNAP outreach and assistance efforts.

For assistance or to donate to Catholic Charities, please visit: www.CatholicCharitiesCamden.org