Bradley Food Pantry Seeks Financial Assistance For Relocation

Numbers turn hurting people into faceless statistics. Being one of many who start the day without breakfast or end the week with no food in the fridge is in fact dehumanizing. Over the past forty years, we at the Bradley Food Pantry have learned that whether numbers increase or shrink, the individual pain of asking for help never diminishes. That is why every single person who comes to us for food, be it once a week, once a month or once a year, counts. And they count on us to be constant in an increasingly unpredictable world.

This month, we began a search for a new home. We are confident that a new location will allow us to continue our tradition of serving our neighbors in need with kindness, respect and dignity.

We will remain a “choice” pantry where people who come to us are welcomed into the pantry, given a shopping cart, and invited to take the food they need to feed their family for the week. We are blessed with a wide variety of food – shelf stable, frozen, refrigerated, canned and fresh – received from a number of sources. While most of our food comes from Fulfill (the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties), we receive donations from 5 retail establishments and contributions from the generous community. (That said, we still spend $10,000 a month purchasing food in order to have a full complement of the staples needed by our families.) Our amazing volunteers, who number more than 150, are ready to go wherever we land and are dedicated to working through whatever challenges may arise so that we remain open 5 days a week and one evening.

CURRENT CHALLENGES: The pandemic aftermath has not been kind to our clients: average rents in Asbury Park, for example, have increased by 13% in the past year, food prices increased overall by 10% in 2022 and have risen another 5% this year, COVID-related SNAP benefits have been eliminated, and the Enhanced Child Tax Credit ended. Those who are employed work in jobs that do not pay a living wage in Monmouth County. In short, the families who come to us for assistance have seen prices rise and benefits fall at the same time, wreaking havoc on their budgets. Thus, the number of families seeking assistance at the Bradley Food Pantry has increased dramatically over the past two years. Daily visits, which averaged 27 in August 2021, have now tripled, reaching 75-80 on average in July 2023, assisting 850 distinct families.

OUR NEEDS & VISION: Recognizing the realities of this new economic environment and increased need, the Bradley Food Pantry is now seeking a new location that will better accommodate the number of families coming to us for assistance. A new location will demand additional resources to pay rent and related expenses. We are counting on a variety of sources, including the generous community of which we are so vital a part.

We’ve got a great track record; we need a strong foundation on which to build. We hope to raise $100,000 in a short period of time to fund our relocation. We do not yet have a space and therefore are estimating our expenses. If we lease, we will need a healthy bank balance to prove we can pay the rent. If we buy, we will need a down payment. In any case, we need your help and generosity. We are looking for 100 people who will donate $1,000 each – or 1000 people who will donate $100 each – and every donation in between.

We know it’s a big ask. We also know that there is no deadline on hunger. People need to eat every day. We have so much work to do. Let’s get started now, together.

Mail a check to PO Box 308 Bradley Beach, NJ 07720 or donate by clicking here.