SUMMER 2014
Greetings from CUMAC! We hope you've been enjoying your summer. It's been a busy few months at our building and we're. CUMAC is having another record-breaking year. Our pantry has been serving over 3,000 people every month and that number continues to rise. Growing need has led us to expand our operations, and our satellite and mobile pantries are serving over 160 families every month. We've certainly kept busy feeding people, but our work to change lives has also grown and taken new form. CUMAC is proud to now be leading the Emergency Food Coalition, a connection of over 30 pantries in our area working together to fight hunger. We welcome to our staff the first EFC coordinator, Kristi Soutar. Kristi was formerly an intern with CUMAC and we're thrilled that she's returned during this exciting time to help grow our impact.
Facing a major food shortage, CUMAC's staff have been working around the clock to ensure that we're able to serve all of our clients. The fall promises to be just as busy, but we are thankful for all those who are helping us through a very challenging summer. With all of its obstacles, its still been a wonderful year. Check out what's new with CUMAC!
CUMAC is looking for volunteers for the Action Against Hunger Drive.
Volunteers can register here.
Volunteers can register here.
The Struggles Around Us
By Stephanie Ames
As I shimmied past a cart of bread and dodged a worker reaching for a bag of frozen meat, I thought how much harder it is these days to squeeze into CUMAC’s pantry. We’re feeding more clients than ever before and that means more bags of food, more staff, and markedly more clients all tightly packed into the small room. With long lines from opening until closing CUMAC has, by necessity, become a well oiled machine. Staff and participants in our Pathways to Work program work together quickly and efficiently to fill out paperwork and give bags of food. It’s incredible to see them in action.
One worker in particular stood out to me today. Karen is wearing bright pink pants and a smile on her face as she laughs, asks the client at her desk a series of questions and then turns to grab the woman’s bags of food. Karen has a kindness in her eyes that always draws my attention. But there’s something else I’m seeing lately, a confidence and ease that didn’t exist a year ago.
One worker in particular stood out to me today. Karen is wearing bright pink pants and a smile on her face as she laughs, asks the client at her desk a series of questions and then turns to grab the woman’s bags of food. Karen has a kindness in her eyes that always draws my attention. But there’s something else I’m seeing lately, a confidence and ease that didn’t exist a year ago.
Last year Karen used to bag food in CUMAC’s warehouse with downcast eyes. She’d look up and smile when I walked by, but would quickly withdraw back into her work and into her thoughts. Being quiet myself, she felt like a kindred spirit and I liked her immediately. I was fortunate one day to get to sit with Karen and learn more about the worry etched on her face.
Karen looked at the floor and explained that for the past 26 years she had been both mother and father to her children. For the past decade she has had problems with her legs and such debilitating asthma that she has trouble holding a job. She has relied on the SNAP program to feed her family, but with her monthly allotment dwindling it was impossible to buy enough food to keep her family from hunger. She would supplement the food by going to pantries, but worried constantly about her kids going hungry.
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Karen struggled as she explained, “It’s hard, it’s really stressful ‘cause I know my kids have to eat every day. They have to eat before me and a lot of the time I have to go without. Sometimes at night you can’t even lay down you’re so hungry, it just keeps you up.”
As we spoke, I learned the worried look I’d seen was because she and her family had been homeless for the last three months. She had tears in her eyes while she told me “we’re struggling to find an apartment, I’ve been walking every day with my kids trying to find somewhere to live. It makes my legs hurt so bad, and my 17 year old daughter cries all the time ‘cause she’s tired of sleeping on people’s floors. It’s hard for her to get through the school day. When we can’t sleep at friends, we spend all night walking to stay safe.”
She continued, “It’s also a lot harder to find food when you’ve lost your home. I see a lot of people eating out of dumpsters and I get scared they’re going to get sick. The food I get from CUMAC helps to keep us going.”
As we spoke, I learned the worried look I’d seen was because she and her family had been homeless for the last three months. She had tears in her eyes while she told me “we’re struggling to find an apartment, I’ve been walking every day with my kids trying to find somewhere to live. It makes my legs hurt so bad, and my 17 year old daughter cries all the time ‘cause she’s tired of sleeping on people’s floors. It’s hard for her to get through the school day. When we can’t sleep at friends, we spend all night walking to stay safe.”
She continued, “It’s also a lot harder to find food when you’ve lost your home. I see a lot of people eating out of dumpsters and I get scared they’re going to get sick. The food I get from CUMAC helps to keep us going.”
Despite her own difficulties, Karen repeatedly mentioned how sad it is to see other people sleeping under bridges, or getting so hungry they eat out of the trash. “Nobody wants to go hungry,” she says, and “it’s so sad.”
Karen is the type of person who is always looking for ways to help others. She works past the end of her shift to make sure clients get food. She’s the one in her family that makes sure everybody else is taken care of. She is kind to people and they gravitate toward her. |
She’s endearing and the type of person you want to know is taken care of too. Staff couldn’t help but rally around Karen last year. I’d often overhear our warehouse manager making phone calls on her behalf to different apartment buildings, our Pathways program coordinator offering encouragement, and see our pantry assistant waiting to make sure she had somebody to take the bus with.
One year later, it is a relief to know that Karen has a nice apartment one block away from CUMAC. Her youngest daughter graduated from high school this past June. Without having to worry about where she’s going to sleep at night, she can focus her full energy on transitioning successfully into adulthood. Karen herself has taken on more responsibility at CUMAC, working directly with clients to assess need, taking their information and making sure they get food. Karen is enthusiastic about how much she loves the work she does now.
Helping people find food is important to her, as it is to everybody here at CUMAC. But with skyrocketing client numbers and the biggest food shortage we’ve seen in some time, it is getting harder every day. Food bags are getting smaller and supplies are depleting fast. We’re all worried that if more doesn’t come in soon, we won’t have food to give in a few weeks. Donations and food collections are critical to making sure the thousands of people like Karen who visit CUMAC every month receive the support they need to get through tough times. The help of our supporters is our lifeline as we work to ensure none among us suffer the pain of hunger.
One year later, it is a relief to know that Karen has a nice apartment one block away from CUMAC. Her youngest daughter graduated from high school this past June. Without having to worry about where she’s going to sleep at night, she can focus her full energy on transitioning successfully into adulthood. Karen herself has taken on more responsibility at CUMAC, working directly with clients to assess need, taking their information and making sure they get food. Karen is enthusiastic about how much she loves the work she does now.
Helping people find food is important to her, as it is to everybody here at CUMAC. But with skyrocketing client numbers and the biggest food shortage we’ve seen in some time, it is getting harder every day. Food bags are getting smaller and supplies are depleting fast. We’re all worried that if more doesn’t come in soon, we won’t have food to give in a few weeks. Donations and food collections are critical to making sure the thousands of people like Karen who visit CUMAC every month receive the support they need to get through tough times. The help of our supporters is our lifeline as we work to ensure none among us suffer the pain of hunger.
My First Trip with CUMAC's Mobile Pantry
By Adrian Diaz
CUMAC’s food pantry is now serving over 3,000 clients per month. While our staff is happy to serve everyone in need, the rising rate of poverty and hunger is alarming. For thousands of our neighbors, our pantry is the only thing keeping them from going hungry. Having some extra groceries is enough to get them through the week and to calm their fears, but not every family has access to these services. Lack of transportation has often been the reason. That’s why, in an effort to better serve our community, CUMAC started a mobile pantry this year.
The mobile pantry allows our staff to bring food directly to underserved areas and provide some much-needed relief. CUMAC now visits Northside Paterson every week and the community is thrilled.
“I have a grandson to think about and these groceries make sure that my family has something to eat this week.” says Michelle, a resident that’s been visiting the mobile pantry since June. “All of us here, we’re just trying to get by. We’re very grateful to have the pantry here.” |
Paterson’s Northside neighborhood is a mostly residential area, away from Paterson’s business districts, that suffers higher than average poverty rates, crime and pervasive underdevelopment. This leaves many residents struggling to access grocery stores and supplementary food support. The mobile pantry is helping change that. Every Wednesday CUMAC’s team loads up a van full of groceries and drives to the N 1st Street location, where clients can be served from noon to 2 pm.
Over the last few months, more families are utilizing the pantry services, many of them for the first time. Gary, a member of CUMAC’s mobile team, is happy to see the impact it’s having on the neighborhood. “I get to meet and help new people every week. It’s really great” he says. With his leadership, Gary and the mobile pantry team are already serving over 100 families and individuals every month. The grocery bags given out include everything from protein items and canned soup to snacks and produce.
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As I quickly learned on my trip with the mobile team, the produce items are very popular with some of the clients and that’s no surprise. In an area full of fast food restaurants and corner stores, nutritious food isn’t always affordable or easy to access.
Thanks to partnerships with regional supermarkets and Table to Table, thousands of pounds of produce are now rescued every week for CUMAC clients. Teams of volunteers sort and pack these items as soon as they enter the building, ensuring that we can save everything possible and share it with the community.
For Jackie, a Paterson resident struggling with mobility, the produce and food items have been invaluable. Unable to travel long distances because of her disability, getting to a pantry wasn't easy for Jackie and she was often forced to go hungry. With the mobile pantry now visiting her street, she’s finally able to receive the support she needs.
“If it wasn’t for CUMAC, I don’t know where I’d be” Jackie says with a smile. “This is a real blessing.”
It’s our hope that we can continue to expand our mobile efforts to make sure that every family and individual in our community has access to the resources they need. With your support, we know that we can bring our vision closer to a reality. Thank you to all the people who are making the mobile pantry possible!
For ways you can support CUMAC's fight against hunger, call our office (973-742-5518) or send us an e-mail (info@cumacecho.org).
Thanks to partnerships with regional supermarkets and Table to Table, thousands of pounds of produce are now rescued every week for CUMAC clients. Teams of volunteers sort and pack these items as soon as they enter the building, ensuring that we can save everything possible and share it with the community.
For Jackie, a Paterson resident struggling with mobility, the produce and food items have been invaluable. Unable to travel long distances because of her disability, getting to a pantry wasn't easy for Jackie and she was often forced to go hungry. With the mobile pantry now visiting her street, she’s finally able to receive the support she needs.
“If it wasn’t for CUMAC, I don’t know where I’d be” Jackie says with a smile. “This is a real blessing.”
It’s our hope that we can continue to expand our mobile efforts to make sure that every family and individual in our community has access to the resources they need. With your support, we know that we can bring our vision closer to a reality. Thank you to all the people who are making the mobile pantry possible!
For ways you can support CUMAC's fight against hunger, call our office (973-742-5518) or send us an e-mail (info@cumacecho.org).
Community Screening of A Place at the Table Next Month
by Leigh Ross
I've been avoiding watching A Place at the Table for almost 9 months. I finally watched it in preparation of our screening and am now wishing I would have watched it 9 months ago. The film presents the matter of food insecurity and all of the causes and effects of such in a digestible way, forgive the pun. It's a clear illustration of how food deserts, low paying employment, agribusiness subsidies and underfunding of critical assistance programs contribute to food insecurity and propel the cycle of poverty.
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A Place at the Table really forces the viewer to question why on Earth the wealthiest nation in the world ranks WORST for developed nations in food insecurity among its citizens, because there's no reason for it. The good news is, though, we can fix it. We addressed it in the 70s and we can close that gap again.
I encourage everyone to attend the screening on September 13th at 4:00pm at Totowa United Methodist Church and to stay for the panel discussion afterward. This film will stir you and you'll want to share your thoughts on the matter, I can assure you. This evening is a really great opportunity to come together as a community and make a difference. I hope to see you all there.
Admission is FREE and any goodwill offerings will benefit CUMAC in its mission of feeding people and changing lives. Light snacks will be provided. To register, click here.
Check out the trailer for A Place at the Table here:
I encourage everyone to attend the screening on September 13th at 4:00pm at Totowa United Methodist Church and to stay for the panel discussion afterward. This film will stir you and you'll want to share your thoughts on the matter, I can assure you. This evening is a really great opportunity to come together as a community and make a difference. I hope to see you all there.
Admission is FREE and any goodwill offerings will benefit CUMAC in its mission of feeding people and changing lives. Light snacks will be provided. To register, click here.
Check out the trailer for A Place at the Table here:
Morrow Memorial Church Theater Camp Visits CUMAC
A huge thank you to Morrow Memorial UMC's Musical Theater Camp (MMTC) for your support of CUMAC and the fight against hunger! We spent one wonderful afternoon hanging out with the kids of MMTC, teaching them about hunger and our work in the community. We were thrilled for the opportunity! Campers visited different stations run by our staff, learning about everything from CUMAC’s history to SNAP benefits and the cost of living. The kids also took part in educational games and activities and even shared a meal bought on a low-cost budget. It was a great experience for all and over 60 kids and adults participated!
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Photos from MMTC's visit to CUMAC
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After a fun-filled afternoon, the kids of MMTC surprised the CUMAC staff with a song from their upcoming performance, Peter Pan. We couldn’t think of a better way to end such a wonderful day. Check out the video below! MMTC will be donating the proceeds of their show to CUMAC later this month. We are so grateful for the support, especially during this time of great need.
We hope you learned a lot, MMTC. Thanks for helping us protect our community from hunger!
We hope you learned a lot, MMTC. Thanks for helping us protect our community from hunger!
Working Together, Making a Difference
Here are more highlights from some of this year’s group events. Thanks to all the wonderful groups and individuals helping us feed people & change lives every day!
Deloitte partnered with CUMAC this June to distribute over 14,000 pounds of fresh produce to the city of Paterson. This marked the third consecutive year the two groups collaborated to turn Deloitte’s IMPACT Day into a day of healthy eating for the community. Visitors were able to choose from a wide variety of vegetables including corn, collard greens, onions, spinach and cabbage. Volunteers even transported vegetables to different sites across Paterson for individuals who weren’t able to visit CUMAC’s building. Over 400 bags of vegetables were delivered to senior housing! Distribution locations included the Federation Apartments, Brick Residence, William Hinchliffe Manor, and Oasis. Thanks Deloitte for helping promote healthy eating in our community! See photos from the event here.
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This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ first performance in the United States. In honor of the legendary group, Dave Philp and the YouChoose Band hosted Beatles Night, an evening of Beatles music, to raise money for CUMAC’s fight against hunger. The event, held at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of NJ, was packed to capacity and featured over 30 live Beatles tracks, BBQ Dinner from Texas Smokehouse BBQ, prizes, and even a submarine photo booth. The event raised over $11,000 for CUMAC! To see videos from the event check out the YouChoose Band YouTube page. We’re thrilled to announce that the YouChoose Band will be holding another benefit concert called Motown Night in April 2015! In the meantime, you can see the band at this month’s Coffeehouse for CUMAC and October’s Battle of the Bells. Click here for more info.
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CUMAC is Serving Record Numbers
In the first 7 months of 2014, CUMAC has fed over 20,000 people, more than any other year in our 30 year history. That's over 8% more than at the peak of the recession, a time when need dramatically increased in our community. This spike in need has left CUMAC dangerously low on food. If you'd like to get involved, please see below for ways you can support our work. During these challenging times, your help makes all the difference.
Ways to Help this Month
Run Down Hunger this November!
CUMAC is a charity partner for this year's Trenton Half Marathon & 10K, being held on Saturday, November 8. We're looking for runners to join our run team! It’s a great way to fight hunger AND stay fit this fall! For more details click here.
We're very excited about this new opportunity as a way of raising money and awareness for hunger. We even have two staff members, Lynne Bruger and Adrian Diaz, running the race! Learn why they're running here. First time running a race? We can help get you started! CUMAC has a training schedule and even some group runs planned so we can train as a team! Can't make the race? Donate to TEAM CUMAC here. Every contribution helps! |
Our School Supply Drive is Here!
September is around the corner and that means the school year will be here before
you know it! For many families in our area, the start of school year - and all of its expenses - can be a stressful time. Our school supply drive makes back-to-school time more manageable for low income families, taking the financial burden off parents and ensuring that every child is prepared to start the school year right. Last year, our school supply drive It's expected that over _ children will benefit from this year's program. Thanks to everyone making it possible! Interested in helping out? Volunteers are still needed to sort and pack supplies. For more info, contact our office (973)742-5518 or e-mail us. |
CUMAC: Feeding People & Changing Lives |
P.O. Box 2721 Paterson, NJ 07509 |
973.742.5518 |