Monroe Food Pantry: The Last Hope for Hungry Families

Wendy Jolls, director of the Monroe Food Pantry, remembers a tall man, about 6'4, coming to the pantry with his children.

"He sat and wept because he couldn't support his family," she said. "He still had a job, but his hours were cut back. This is the last place they'll come. They tell me, 'I didn't want to come here. This is the last place I wanted to come to.'"

A recent federal cutback on funding for food stamps has led to a spike in demand at the food pantry, which now provides assistance to 212 Monroe families, according to Jolls. She said the pantry gave out 11,000 pounds of food last month.

After applying for food stamps, Jolls said it could take up to a year before people get them. Even if one can get food stamps, that's typically not enough to live on.

When a few members of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce toured the pantry's facility at 980 Monroe Turnpike last week, Jolls mentioned she knows a woman living on just over $700 a month on Social Security with $17 worth of food stamps for groceries.

Chamber President Ray Giovanni said, "I know a guy who gets $11 a month in food stamps."

Running On Empty

The Monroe Chamber of Commerce visited the pantry Friday to present a $500 check with $250 going to the pantry and $250 for Project Warmth, the town's home heating and energy assistance program.

"This is fantastic and it couldn't happen at a better time," Jolls said. "We're struggling right now, because everything we get now should be for next year, but the way we're going we'll have to dip into next year's funds."

Project Warmth, which provides assistance for electricity and home heating fuel, is also running on empty.

"We're almost out of money," said Barbara Yeager, the director of Social Services who oversees the program.

Yeager said funds are still coming in from the Monroe Trail Run, with $1,000 from Trunk Or Treat and another $1,000 from Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home's pumpkin painting fundraiser.

With cuts in state and federal assistance, Yeager said those who are not eligible for aid, can apply for Project Warmth, adding the program is also there for others when state and federal assistance runs out later in the winter.

Where the Money Goes

Monetary donations are used for things like fresh meats and produce, eggs, milk and frozen vegetables. And Jolls said the funds are used to fill in where non-perishable food donations fall short.

She had recently spent $2,000 shopping at Shop Rite.

"I just placed a $770 order for eggs and milk from Wade's Dairy," Jolls said. "They recently came down 20 cents a gallon. They're so good to us — and they came down on the eggs too."

Yeager said, "All money donated to the food pantry buys food."

If it's for something else, such as a recent donation of a new refrigerator, Yeager said specific requests are made.

Yeager said the pantry is now hoping to find an architect willing to draw up plans for an interior renovation with a new back entrance to allow shoppers privacy. The blueprints would be used in a grant application to fund the construction.

A Generous Community

"If Stop & Shop has frozen vegetables on sale, we could really use them," Jolls said. "We can still use more turkeys and hams for Christmastime. And then everyday staples: pasta sauces, tuna, coffee, juice, tea, — it's cold now — hot chocolate, hot cereals, Rice-A-Roni and pastas."

Giovanni said the Monroe Chamber of Commerce holds a food drive as part of every monthly meeting. And Jolls said the food pantry has a fundraising committee which recently raised $1,500 from a Girls' Night Out event.

Of the families in need, Jolls said, "It's nice to be able to help them and it's nice that Monroe is the generous community that it is. Monroe is the most generous community I've seen."

Those wishing to make a donation to Project Warmth can send a check made out to "Project Warmth" and mail it to the Monroe Senior Center, 235 Cutlers Farm Road, Monroe CT 06484. To donate to the Monroe Food Pantry, checks should be mailed to Monroe Town Hall, 7 Fan Hill Road, Monroe CT 06468.

To volunteer for the food pantry, call Wendy Jolls at (203) 452-3770.