Connect for Community helps fight hunger
By Rose Sgarlato
SPARTA — Six years ago during what may be considered the height of the recession, local food pantries were experiencing a major drought on their shelves. Not enough donations and too many hungry people exacerbated the situation.
Sparta resident Suzanne Stigers read a newspaper article about the crisis and was motivated to combat the problem.
“I shop with coupons and know that you can get many things for free or just pennies on the dollar,” Stigers said.
Stigers talked to a local food pantry that gave her the green light. Reacting quickly, she created a logo, name for her organization and had six volunteers within 24 hours.
The volunteers collect coupons which they then use to buy food for local pantries.
Since Coupons for Community was officially launched in November of 2009, over $500,000 worth of food and toiletries has been purchased using coupons.
Over 40 volunteers meet on a weekly basis, and their shopping efforts have contributed to 40 food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and social services in six counties in northern New Jersey, according to the organization’s fact sheet.
The organization, now called Connect for Community (CFC), has extended its outreach to include participation from schools, local farmers and businesses incorporating seasonal events and ongoing programs.
Popular and successful school programs are “100 days of School," “Backpacks for Community,” and “Children’s Summer Lunch.”
“Approaching the summer of 2010, we learned a statistic that children who receive assisted lunch during the school year were susceptible to hunger in the summer,” Stigers said. “We adopted the pantries summer lunch programs, and in our first year distributed food and toiletries to over 1,000 children in a town that is regarded as affluent.”
Stigers has found that fresh food is a common complaint among recipients. Addressing this issue, CFC created Harvest for Community in 2010 where local farmers donate their surplus of fresh products on a weekly basis. And Cooking with Coupons teaches homeless families how to shop with coupons and cook healthy meals.
Hungry and homeless people want to look and feel good- a message that Stigers feels is sometimes overlooked. Personal hygiene items cannot be bought with cut coupons.
In 2013 CFC added Cuts for Community where local hairstylists provide free haircuts to children and their parents.
“Once again we are taking the well-being of the person as a whole into consideration,” said Stigers
After meeting at Panera in Sparta and various peoples homes for the past five years, Stigers core network of volunteers now have a home base at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church on Woodport Road where Pastor Tina Reyes established the first Connect for Community Center in December.
Anywhere from 10 to 40 people show up every Monday evening.
“We are here if anyone would like to volunteer. You can do as little or as much as you would like,” she said. “It’s about raising awareness and being a conduit for the community.”
Although there are many churches involved where food pantries are located, CFC is not a religious non-profit organization. One does not have to be affiliated with a church to participate or receive.
“We are providing opportunities for people to be here by opening our doors to the public,” said Reyes. “CFC is an interfaith group of people using their skills that they have to support people and other missions.”
CFC has become a lifestyle for Stigers and her volunteers, she says, connected with a universal message: “We want to change the perception of what it means to be in need, it’s okay."
Creating an environment where there is less desperation and stress is the end game for CFC, Stigers said.
“Just ask, we are here as a great resource for the community.”
For more information visit www.connectforcommunity.org.