Officials thank local group for restarting food pantry

DAVE BENJAMIN Diane Stanaway of the Jackson Women of Today accepts an award from the Jackson Township Council on behalf of the organization. The Jackson Women of Today operate the community's food pantry. JACKSON - The Township Council has recognized the effort that was put forth by members of the Jackson Women of Today to restore the Jackson Food Pantry in time for the Sept. 27 food distribution.

All of the food in the pantry had to be discarded in late August after a fire in the adjacent code enforcement office caused smoke damage in the food pantry. The two departments had been sharing a building on Don Connor Boulevard.

The food pantry has since relocated to the public works department and was able to provide food to Jackson's needy residents on Sept. 27 as scheduled.

Speaking at the Sept. 25 meeting of the Township Council, Mayor Mark Seda said, "The Jackson Women of Today unfortunately have had a very rough month, between the fire in the building, trying to figure out what would happen to the food pantry and then how the pantry would relocate. A lot of those conversations took place immediately after the fire and I'm glad to say that the food pantry will operate on its regular distribution date (Sept. 27)."

Seda said members of the Jackson Women of Today worked with him and with public works employees to set up a new food pantry.

He said the organization is an integral part of the community, promoting public awareness and service programs within Jackson. The Jackson Women of Today provide leadership training and personal enrichment opportunities to people 18 years of age and older and have administered the food pantry for 20 years.

The Jackson Women of Today provide annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors, support efforts against domestic violence and perform numerous charitable projects.

In accepting the thanks of the mayor and council, Diane Stanaway, president of the Jackson Women of Today, said, "I just want to say thank you to the Jackson community, especially the volunteers who help us run every month and the council and the mayor, who have done a lot of work to get us set up over at the public works department. There is food galore … "

Stanaway said the pantry expects to have a successful holiday season.

In related business, Carleen Lombardi, a representative of Investor's Savings Bank, had asked Seda what she could do for Jackson.

"We told her we had a major incident at the food pantry," the mayor said. "We gave her all the information she needed and she went back to her bank and was able to get a $5,000 grant to help the pantry."

"I've had the privilege of working with Investor's Saving Bank for 15 years and they allow me to serve in the community," Lombardi said. "What I have also done for the Jackson Women of Today is [the following:] Investor's sponsors the share the joy drive that goes on in November before Thanksgiving. Because we are sponsoring it, I told them that the Jackson Food Pantry now has to have a portion of the money, food and whatever [else we can give.]"

Seda thanked Lombardi for her efforts on behalf of the food pantry.