Volunteer Bruce McGraw and Crisis Ministry executive director Carolyn Biondi fill just-assembled shelves with food donated by people from across Mercer County over the weekend. The used shelves were given by Mercer County Library’s Lawrence Headquarters. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Unger.)
By Lynn Robbins
A fire forced The Crisis Ministry of Princeton and Trenton to temporarily close its food pantry on East Hanover Street in Trenton, but the blaze hasn’t stopped the organization’s volunteers from providing food to clients.
Thanks to human compassion, action and social media, the ministry workers continued to serve neighbors in need.
On Dec. 16, Rev. Dave Davis of Princeton’s Nassau Presbyterian Church received a text message alerting him of the early morning fire. No one was hurt, but the pantry stock, furniture and equipment were damaged.
As the senior pastor of the church that helped found The Crisis Ministry, Davis made an appeal for help.
“We sent out a massive email,” he said. “By Saturday, folks were dropping off money and food and asking what else they could do for us.”
Founded in 1980, The Crisis Ministry supports the communities of Princeton and Trenton with its hunger and homeless prevention programs as well as workforce training. Without its food supply, the ministry would be unable to serve a significant portion of its clients.
Sarah Unger, who heads communications and development for The Crisis Ministry, received a call from executive director Carolyn Biondi that Friday shortly before 7 a.m., Unger learned there was no electricity and the office computers and main server weren’t working.
After witnessing the damage in person, Unger returned to her home office and got to work. She had to keep supporters, clients and staffers informed on what had happened and how the ministry was responding.
“I was able to do my job through Facebook and Twitter, and by sending out an e-newsletter,” Unger said in the days after the fire. “Because of our followers, word spread quickly. We certainly have more followers and supporters now than we did five days ago.”
When volunteer Jan Logan received the email about the fire, she immediately forwarded it to Rev. Hugh Brown, rector of Princeton’s All Saints’ Church. He informed the parishioners and requested donations of food and cash, which filled many baskets Sunday morning, Logan said.
Logan was touched by the response.
“Our small office looked like a cornucopia, overflowing with good food and good wishes. It was what I might call jolly chaos,” she said.
Several congregations and organizations made generous contributions, including Trinity Church, the Jewish Center of Princeton, and the Princeton Unitarian Universalist Church. Unitarian minister Bill Neely believes the response was so generous and immediate because the ministry has a stellar reputation for helping people in need.
“What’s more, people especially want to be helpful this time of the year,” he said.
To house the food operations, the Presbyterian Church satellite food pantry location on Hamilton Avenue in Trenton was expanded. The ministry had lost an estimated 30 tons of food in the fire, Unger said, but the rapid response had nearly replenished the supply. As of Dec. 23, the main pantry room was fully stocked, and an additional storage room was also filled.
Several businesses and organizations responded to the ministry’s needs by supplying transportation, food drop off locations, cash donations and offers for help in other ways. PJ’s Pancake House, McCarter Theater staff, McCaffrey’s Supermarket, New Jersey Manufacturers, Labyrinth Books, the Princeton Rotary Club, the Bonner Foundation and the United Way are among those that gave assistance.
Of all the supporters and clients affected by the ministry, none was more touched than Shalanda Williams, a former client and volunteer and now an intern staff member.
Williams discovered The Crisis Ministry in 2010 when she was unemployed and needed food. She entered the workforce training program and eventually earned a license to be a security guard, but was unable to find work in that field.
She recalls that staff and volunteers helped keep her spirits up during that stressful time. While looking for work, Williams volunteered at the ministry, stocking shelves and helping clients shop.
In September 2011, Williams was invited to train for a position with the ministry, starting as an intern.
Williams learned about the fire at 6 a.m. that morning and went to the Trenton grocery on Saturday to see if she could help.
“When I walked in the door, I couldn’t speak. I was in shock. I felt helpless. I felt like it was my own home, and I cried like a baby,” she said.
By Wednesday, though, Williams was back at work at the ministry’s temporary grocery. She said clients were concerned and wanted to know what happened, but also wanted to know if they could help.
“Like me, people want to give back,” Williams said.
To find out how to help The Crisis Ministry, call (609) 921-2135. On the Web: thecrisisministry.org. Twitter: @CrisisMinistry.
