Rachel's husband died unexpectantly in the fall of 2020. Shocked and saddened by his untimely death and isolated by Covid restrictions, Rachel decided to do something drastic. She set up a folding table in front of her house, rummaged through her cupboards, and collected cans and goods she could spare. Rachel displayed her food items on the table, put a big sign: "Take what you need and give what you can," and waited.
For the next few weeks, her table, which faced a busy road, caused nearly a traffic jam. Cars stopped with people who took what they needed, and cars stopped with people who donated what they could spare.
It did not take long before the town shut down her operation, stating that she had caused a dangerous traffic situation. Knowing Rachel, a determined, friendly woman, this would not stop her. She removed her table, opened the computer, and started writing on a local Facebook group, asking for help finding a location where she could continue her sharing table. A local community center heard of her plea and offered Rachel a garage-like storage room. Her food pantry was up and running within weeks with the help of friends and two old refrigerators.
The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.
As a weekly volunteer, I am amazed at the kindness and resourcefulness of strangers:
There is Chris, a young hobby fisherman, who drops off weekly surplus fish he catches on the Great South Bay. Chris brings the catch already packed and frozen, ready for the freezer. Most needy customers come from Central America and are familiar with preparing all kinds of fish.
Arlene, a retired pastry chef, delivers a big tray of mouthwatering homemade desserts to the food bank a few times a month.
Cindy, a retired teacher and avid gardener, started a vegetable patch not far from the pantry. In April, with the help of her family, volunteers, and a local Girl Scout troop, Cindy erected a fence and provided the layout for the planting. Local hardware stores and plant nursery's donated fence material, seedlings, and soil. Since Cindy's garden is strictly organic, she uses no chemicals or commercial fertilizer. I'm collecting used coffee grounds from Starbucks coffee shops. The company is living up to its promise of "working on better ways to manage our waste." No greenwashing there.
Maggie, a helpful restaurant owner, saves eggshells from her morning breakfast crowd. Used coffee grounds and eggshells are natural fertilizers in Cindy's garden. Last week, Cindy harvested her first batch of string beans and gave it to a needy family.
A woman from a local daycare center drops off extra sandwiches and juice boxes every Thursday.
Panera, a bakery chain, delivers surplus bread from the day before. True to their website's statement: "We continue to serve and support local community organizations through donations."
Local businesses and individuals help with donations of perishable items and financial support.
What makes Rachel's pantry different from other big food distribution centers in the area? Our pantry is unique in allowing people to "shop" and choose the items they require rather than getting pre-packed bags of things that may not meet their needs.
We don't check identity cards; we don't ask questions; we don't judge. What Rachel's Pantry provides is not just food and toiletries but also dignity and respect.
Imagine how women like Rachel could change our world. I think about places where hunger and malnutrition are caused by dictators, greedy politicians, ethnic conflicts, and wars.
I recently came upon an interesting fact. In Hebrew, the palindromic word "natan" means to give. This word can be read forward and backward in English and Hebrew and has the same meaning. When we think about providing donations and the idea of giving, it is also about receiving.
Not just Rachel, but all the people who donate and all the volunteers who work at Rachel's table receive gratitude, and gratitude is priceless!
It is a wonderful thing that Rachel started with her table full of items to share. Like a seed that has been nurtured her generosity of spirit blossomed into a full fledged food pantry that has helped so many. When we recognize that we have the opportunity to share what we have for the benefit of someone who is struggling we become our larger selves. The most astonishing thing is that it takes so little to do so much. No metals or citations for service can replace the personal satisfaction that giving of ourselves to raise someone up is it's own reward.