Rahway Residents Help Food for Friends
Submitted by Najah Allen
Rahway Food for Friends honors their volunteers, staff, and all helping hands in the City of Rahway. The community has stepped up to address the increasing number of citizens in the City of Rahway and surrounding cities who deal with food insecurity. Welcoming their 30th Anniversary, the nonprofit tackles larger demands to combat hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic. Established in 1991, it is necessary to highlight all those who selflessly dedicate their time, resources and love. So, how do they continue to combat food insecurity during heightened times such as these? Local churches, Rahway High School students and distinguished women in the community remain the backbone to manifest the world they hope to see.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many households across the country. With New Jersey approved for unemployment extended benefits, this still holds true over a year later. Food pantries are needed more than ever. Meeting overwhelming demands and making healthier options a necessity, former Mayor of Rahway Samson Steinman, The Board of Trustees, and Executive Director Candance Ashe became quite innovative. The goal was to provide more than meals with the increased needs of many residents and those in surrounding cities. A Mobile Pantry and Mobile Meals Program was created to deliver meals to seniors, displaced veterans, and disabled patrons. This added on additional needs since Rahway Food for Friends already provides food supplemental packages to all families in the NJ area every second Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the month from 9 – 2 p.m.
Many volunteers overextend themselves by being on call just in case any person or family has a need for food or toiletries in between that time. Visiting the food pantry, I got a glimpse of how much hard work goes into making the machine run. The display of being each other’s keeper was heartfelt.
The food pantry is truly an established network of community agencies. The NJ nonprofit partnered with the RWJ Rahway Hospital to offer glucose testing, education, and prevention of dietary needs, focusing on clients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. This is separate from the food pantry. Taking on another responsibility, over 150 families are fed through their soup kitchen as well. The dates can be found on the website, rahwayfoodforfriendsnj.org/.
How does Rahway Food for Friends tackle such large but essential demands? The community ecosystem of course! For 30 years the food pantry and soup kitchen remain with the help of local businesses, Rahway students, Rahway High School ROTC, local churches such as Second Presbyterian, Second Baptist, Zion Lutheran, Ebenezer AME, Divine Mercy Parish, The Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal, and Rahway natives. Many Rahway volunteers remain anonymous because the mission is more important than any applause. However, during my time there, it was not hard to spot two prominent women who assisted with conducting the orchestra.
Never looking for praise, Julia Major and Mary Johnson strategize to make sure enough packages are made for families, notate logs of what was given and what is needed, and make sure all packages are ready for the Mobile Meals Program. I would love to fill all readers in on a little background information on the women who embody supporting the community within healthcare, education, economic, and all other social sectors.
Julia Major continues to give herself for over 30 years to combat food insecurity and all intersectionalities that come along with that. So, where did the tenacity come from you may ask? Julia has been a part of the Black community in Rahway who experienced many sociological issues. Social justice was a big chunk of her life during numerous racial climates in our Nation. One can say she dedicates her time and experience to seeing the world she hoped for since a young girl. Julia came to Rahway Food for Friends when it was “just a soup kitchen and food pantry” with a group of women offering help. A member of the Red Hat Society, she brought in women who were like minded to assist. The program is geared towards helping women internationally encouraging fellowship, unity, and the betterment of the social society. No shock here as she supports women and mothers donating time, guidance, and toiletries. Enough cannot be said to the type of woman Julia Major is.
Mary Johnson has volunteered her time for years to the food pantry as well. Living in Rahway since 1978, she gave time to helping the small group of Black homeowners in Rahway. They worked together to keep themselves encouraged and step in whenever anyone was in need. The mother of six children, over 20 grandchildren, and a handful of great grandchildren, Mary has been faithful and committed to assisting others. Mary embodies feeding the whole person as she knows many families by name and offers her advice and prayers to patrons.
Both women are members of Ebenezer AME Church, under the leadership of Reverend Dr. Marti Robinson, Esq. Their members remain dedicated to those “impacted, marginalized, those from lower-income communities, and the youth,” said Robinson. This further explains the eagerness of both Julia and Mary to see the continuation of Rahway Food for Friends. The church got its start from “sociological issues” which extended into their partnership with Rahway Food for Friends. Founded in 1826, the church was acquired in 1829. Reverend Dr. Marti Robinson, Esq and his congregation believe in following the Word of G-d: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” Like many churches in Rahway who donate to the food pantry, Ebenezer remains grounded in “love thy neighbor how you love yourself” and believing all labor is not in vain.
Rahway Food for Friends continues to celebrate their helping angels who are deeply rooted in making sure no need goes unmet. Every day supporters, donors and volunteers understand their assignment as many in need rely on them to keep going. It remains community driven, much like an ecosystem; interacting to keep the system going, knowing all components and people are important to its function, and understanding nothing would get accomplished if any part fails since they are all linked.
Let’s continue to service our community in need! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to volunteer or donate in the form of monetary contributions, clothing, non-perishables, food items, toiletries, baby products, miscellaneous personal items (i.e., soap, toothbrushes, etc.). Rahway Food for Friends needs all helping hands and donations which have become depleted due to increased needs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Formore information, reach out to rahwayfoodforfriends@gmail.com. Make all checks payable to: Rahway Food For Friends, Inc., P.O. Box 1882, Rahway, NJ 07065.
Thank you to all those who have donated: Community Food Bank of NJ – Hillside location, Mayor Raymond Giacobbe and the City of Rahway / PBA, Rahway F.L.A.G., RSI, Northfield Bank, Feeding the Frontline, GULF Oil, Elizabeth Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church (Rahway), FedEx, WAWA, TJXX Foundation, ACME, Shop Rite, and Panera Bread.
