The First Baptist Church of Moorestown (FBCM) received the 2024 Food Bank of South Jersey Evergreen Award for Resilience and Creativity on Sept. 27, a prize given in appreciation of the church’s unwavering commitment to fighting food insecurity and remaining strong and supportive through all seasons.
“It really encourages us to keep doing what we’re doing,” said Jane Pipes, co-coordinator of the FBCM’s pantry, of the award’s significance. “We’re a really close community of volunteers and the people that come, so they share in our joy too. It just was an affirmation for all of us, and very unexpected, because we’ve only been with the organization for a relatively short time.
“It’s good to know that we’re on the right track.”
The FBCM’s partnership with the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) started in January 2023. That same year, the church saw near-pandemic levels of need. With the cost of food and everyday items still lingering, the need for services continued to grow. In 2023, the FBSJ distributed more than 22 million pounds of food, according to its website, the equivalent of 18.4 million meals shared with the community in one year.
“You could almost say it’s a lifesaver,” Pipes noted of the FBSJ. “The food bank being an essential source for distributing (food), that’s just so valuable for everybody. It’s just essential for everybody.”
The FBCM food pantry is open on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m. and on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Donations can be delivered to the church on those days from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’s also a tub by the parking lot door for non-perishable goods.
The food pantry feeds an average of 250 to 300 people weekly in the Moorestown neighborhood and surrounding areas. What began as a small folding table holding a few non-perishable items in the church lounge has grown into a multi-room operation. The pantry is funded and supplied 100% by donation.
To donate food or financially support the church’s ministry, contact its office. For a list of items needed regularly, visit www.fbcmoorestown.org/ministries/food-pantry.
“It’s a pleasure to volunteer,” Pipes noted, “because so many people give of themselves, share themselves, share their stories. And it’s very fulfilling.”
