The Cherry Hill Food Pantry started humbly in the basement of a since-closed Baptist church. Today, it has transformed its current location at the ShopRite Plaza on Brace Road into a space that mirrors a mini-supermarket with shopping carts, fully-stocked aisles and a line of refrigerators.
“This is what [our] goal always was – that people, instead of being handed food, could come in and shop and have a dignified experience,” the pantry’s executive director Janet Giordano said.
In early April, the pantry learned its lease was not being renewed. Now, the nonprofit has between 60 and 90 days to find a new location where it can serve the nearly 700 people who are registered to shop there.
The current location is the culmination of 12 years of work, according to Giordano. They started in a small basement space before moving to a house owned by St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. Three years ago, they moved to their Brace Road location.
The owners let the pantry lease the space rent-free, and the pantry only paid for the cost of utilities and insurance. Giordano said the space was essentially just a shell when they arrived. Much of the copper piping was stolen by vandals, so they installed air conditioning, fixed the lighting, refurbished the bathrooms, put in a new hot water tank and commercial drain. They also replaced the floors and ceiling tiles.
In April, Giordano learned that a leasing company bought several of the leases for several of the empty storefronts with the intention of revamping the plaza. Giordano said she understands their desire for change and knew their lease would inevitably come to an end.
While they’re not sure of the exact timeline, Giordano said they have between 60 and 90 days to find a new location. She said they’re looking for a space that has reasonable enough rent that the nonprofit can afford to pay for the space while still purchasing supplies.
Residents of Cherry Hill, Marlton, Mount Laurel and Haddonfield can shop the pantry once a month and take as much as they’d like. Pantry-goers can receive up to 175 pounds of food, and they never pay for anything.
Giordano said a lot of items are donated by churches, kind benefactors, local groups, schools and businesses, and they also have strong relationships with local Acme markets that donate to and receive supplies from Philabundance. However, there are still certain items that always run in short supply.
“If we’re putting a lot of money into rent, we won’t be able to buy the things that fill in all of these gaps,” Giordano said.
They’re open to a variety of spaces, and Giordano said she doesn’t expect or need a pristine location. She said they put in a fair amount of renovation work for their current location, and she anticipates having to do so again wherever they move.
Giordano said there’s a lot of kind, generous people out there who understand the work the pantry is trying to do. She said she’s hopeful that some person or organization will reach out with a space that they can rent at a discounted rate.
“There’s got to be someone here in Cherry Hill that’s going to say, ‘Well, we’ll give them a helping hand,” Giordano said.
To learn more about the Cherry Hill Food Pantry, visit https://cherryhillfoodpantry.org. To contact Giordano, email cherryhillnjfoodpantry@gmail.com.
