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The Need
Our farm is located about 25 minutes from Salem City, NJ, where the median household income is $25,171, and 46.2% of the population is living below the poverty line. Salem became a food desert in 2017 when its only grocery store closed its doors. A food desert is an urban area with limited access to healthy, fresh food. When the grocery store closed, the residents of Salem without transportation were forced to buy their groceries from the local dollar stores. The need in this community is urgent.
They Call the Pastor “The Queen”
Sonita Johnson, pastor of St. John’s Pentecostal Outreach Church, has applied her love of people and her indomitable perseverance to the task of helping folks in need. Johnson ensures that her church lives up to its name by offering a variety of supports and services to a community of residents in need. Every interaction I’ve had with Sonita “The Queen” Johnson has left me with a feeling of hope. She applies her tireless optimism to the work of finding solutions and improving the conditions around her.
What’s Being Done
Now with the pandemic facing our country, St. John’s still provides food and hope to so many people in need. While practicing social distancing, the pantry expanded the days and hours of their services. On Wednesdays and Fridays the pantry at St. John’s opens at 1:00; on Mondays the food pantry takes place at Gateway Family Success Center. Emergency food can be picked up at St. John’s from Monday through Friday from 8-10am.
St. John’s has received donations from friends and families, and they’ve collaborated with new partners. Through their new partnership with EMS Cafe owners Luke and Bethanne Patrick, they now host a food truck in the church’s parking lot on Thursday evenings between 4:00-5:30, which means Salem city residents can now get a delicious take-out meal, at no charge, through a grant from PSE&G. Together with the EMS Cafe, St. John’s served over 400 meals on Saturday, April 4th. The food truck will continue providing meals on Thursday evenings until August 13th.
Gateway Family Success Centers in Salem and Bridgeton have provided St. John’s with not only volunteers, but also a weekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from their hydroponic gardens. Now they have a special giveaway in the St. John’s parking lot every Monday at 1pm.
Catholic Charities enable St. John’s to have monthly pantry meetings where they share best practices so they are able to provide healthier options to the community through the coalition.
The administrators of St. John’s Outreach, volunteer staff, the local police force, Catholic Charities, Bushels of Blessings, local farmers, Wawa’s Harvest of Hope, Volunteers of America, EMS Cafe, Gateway, Stand up for Salem, Mannington Mills, Performance Food Group, Sunday Breakfast Mission, United Way of Delaware, Salem Does More, and local churches are just a few organizations that have come together to make a difference in South Jersey.
The Food Bank of South Jersey also connects St. John’s with so many vital food vendors, distributors, customers, and shopping markets, that it would be difficult for St. John’s to do their outreach without the Food Bank’s support.
In addition to providing nutrition, St. John’s also offers a daycare center that provides full-time or part-time care for low income families with children between 2.5-13 years of age. The daycare is a member of Grow NJ Kids, and it is the only daycare center in Salem City that just reopened.
What Salem Residents Have to Say
“I would not have any food to eat this weekend if it were not for your pantry.”
“You all are such a blessing to us.”
“Before today, I was not eating so my kids could eat, someone told me about your pantry.”
“We love Mr. Frank.” (Veteran who comes every morning to give out emergency food)
What Can You Do?
If you feel called to help and you have the means, you might consider doing one of the following:
If you’re farming or gardening and you find yourself with a surplus, it feels really good to know your hard work will turn into nutrition for folks who need it. Please call St. John’s directly at (856) 935-1445.
Donate gently used toys, games, puzzles, or books you have lying around your house. St. John’s uses these items in their giveaways.
Donate empty egg cartons and/or plastic grocery bags to the church. The bags are used to distribute the produce, and the egg cartons are used by a local woman who donates her chicken’s eggs.
Volunteer your time at the church.
Donate financially to the church by sending a check to St. John’s Pentecostal Outreach Church, PO Box 753/22 New Market St, Salem, NJ 08079 Attn: Food Pantry or Daycare. (The daycare is currently in need of a new roof, a problem exascerbated by today’s storm.)
Volunteer at Fail Better Farms so that you can help us increase our impact. The more hands we have, the more food we can produce. Interested parties should email mary.failbetterfarms@gmail.com.
Check out St. John’s outreach on Facebook to see the good work they’re doing.
Support the EMS Cafe.
Check out the USDA’s Food Access Atlas and find a need near where you live.