How Interfaith Food Pantry raised over $25,000 in "Monthly Gifts"

Who We Are

The Interfaith Food Pantry started when four local churches came together to answer the call to feed the hungry. Marilyn DiPrimo, a parishioner of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Church in Cedar Knolls, along with Liz Soranno and Jill Andoloro, were collecting food for the Interfaith Council for Homeless Families which was housed at the First Baptist Church in Morristown. At that time, St. Margaret’s Church and Church of the Assumption, also in Morristown, were running their own food closets. Representatives from each congregation realized they could meet the increasing need more efficiently byconsolidating their efforts. The basement of the First Baptist Church was chosen as the location since it was within walking distance of senior housing on Ann Street and Early Street.

As more people sought assistance, the team reached out to the community, houses of worship, corporations, and civic and school groups to secure food and financial donations. In no time, additional storage and office space was needed. A site owned by the town was secured on South Street across from Kings. In 2000, when it was sold, Rosemary reached out to Cissy Laureys, a Morris County Freeholder for help. Together, they launched a valuable public-private partnership with the County of Morris and in January 2000, IFP moved into space at 540a West Hanover Avenue. That same year, a fire at the First Baptist Church forced the Pantry to find a new, centralized location in Morristown for food distribution. After an extensive search, 190 Speedwell Avenue was opened and remains a vital food source today because of its accessibility to the many town residents it serves.

Adding a second location made it possible to expand operating hours to include Saturday and evening distribution sessions, and the “Working Families Access Program” began. Later that year the IFP took over the County Food Closets, and today, continues to supply emergency groceries to the Office of Temporary Assistance located in both Dover and Morristown. Over the next few years many more new programs were initiated to meet the changing needs of the community. In 2001, when the County Department of Aging and Disabilities expressed concern about the number of seniors and disabled people who could not get to either of our distribution sites, the IFP Home Delivery Program was Established. To accommodate dietary restrictions and eliminate waste, IFP switched from pre-packed bags to its “Client Choice” model. The “Healthy Choices” program was created to increase access to healthier foods and nutrition education. With all the new programs, the number of volunteer groups from local companies and houses of worship grew dramatically, as did the number of people served.