The men and women who run food pantries across Union County generally love the holidays. It's the time of year that they know they can count on their neighbors, thankful for their success throughout the years, find it in their hearts to supply enough food to keep the shelves stocked and bellies full. But this holiday season is unlike any many in the pantries have seen.

Those who once volunteered or donated food items are alarmed by the new faces they see in line for assistance. Hunger no longer is easily defined as a problem for the unemployed or underemployed. Today, they help men and women from nearby towns, people who don't want their friends and neighbors to see that they need a helping hand.

According to Hunger in America 2010: The New Jersey State Report, the New Jersey Federation of Food Banks provides emergency food for an estimated 830,200 different people annually, a 45 percent increase over the Hunger in America 2006 State Report.

The New Jersey Department of Human Services, attributes the vast amount of those in need to the high costs of housing, health care, fuel and utilities. Sudden illness, disabilities, low paying jobs, and fixed incomes make it difficult for many people to afford food.

The food pantry run out of the Holy Trinity Interparochial School in Westfield has been serving all of Union County for more than 30 years.

"We usually feed six families a day out of the food pantry," said Bill Crandall, who has served as a volunteer there with his wife Nora for the past 15 years. "But around the holidays it can be as many as 11."

"And that's not counting the emergencies that come to the rectory looking for help," Nora added.

Diane Riley, director of advocacy for the NJ Community FoodBank, agreed that the number of people who struggle with food insecurity is on the rise.

Riley said the latest available information for Union County, released in September, showed a total of 44,000 people participating in the food-stamp program. That figure represents a 21 percent increase over last year's participants.

In order to be eligible for food stamps, one must be at 185 percent of the federal poverty line. Because not all those who are food insecure qualify for food stamps, additional pressure is placed on local food pantries. In Union County, there are many residents who fall in the gap between using food stamps and not being poor enough to qualify but not earning enough income to purchase groceries they need for themselves and their families.

"According to a community survey from 2010, 11.1 percent of families are living below the poverty level in Union County, compared with 9.5 percent in 2009," Riley said. "We know it anecdotally, but these numbers are great indicators of that increase. Talk to anyone at a food pantry and they will tell you the same thing. More middle-class people who have never been before are now going to food pantries."

After acquiring a referral from a social-services organization, those in need can begin receiving food from a food pantry. Making Holy Trinity's facility that much more popular is the fact that it is one of the very few in Union County that has refrigeration and freezers, which allow for the storage of eggs, butter, yogurt, hot dogs and turkeys.

Having a referral from a social-services agency makes it more efficient for those donating their time, Crandall explained.

"That way volunteers don't need to screen anyone, they can just focus on getting the food to those who need it," he said.

Also, those coming for a food pickup schedule an appointment to do so, often through their social worker. With the exception of Thursdays, when people can come from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., food is distributed between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

It Takes a Village

Following one of the monthly deliveries from the NJ Community Foodbank, the Crandalls said it can take as many as 50 to 70 volunteers to help sort and stock it.

"The best thing we ever did was spread the word," Bill Crandall said. "Now it's thought of as not just a Catholic thing but a community-wide service."

Volunteers come from all over town on a weekly basis and various organizations take a day to sort and package food before handing it out to those in need:

• Monday: Holy Trinity
• Tuesday: First United Methodist Church
• Wednesday: Service League and Temple Emanu-El
• Thursday: St. Helen's
• Friday: Holy Trinity

With the exception of Thursdays when volunteers work from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the food pantry is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Not only does the community help out by volunteering, they also ensure that the food pantry is well-stocked throughout the year.

"This whole area is very generous if we need food," Nora said.

While the elementary schools and Westfield High School have ongoing collections, the Boy Scouts, Temple Emanu-El, Curves, Stop and Shop and the Post Office hold food drives during different months to help prevent the pantry from being depleted.

"The senior housing development on Boynton collects food for us," Nora added. "Panera has generously given bread to the pantry and St. Helen's often provides fresh fruit and vegetables."

Nora said while the volunteers are always cognizant of expiration dates, demand has gotten so great, that is rarely an issue these days.

"Food is flying off the shelves so quickly," she said.  

If the cupboards are bare, the Crandalls said they send an email to friends they know who are always willing to help.

But having enough food is not the only concern at area food pantries. Due to the high cost of fuel and public transportation, getting to a food pantry can also be a problem for those in need.

"We've had people come by bike," Nora Crandall said. "Sometimes people get a ride or a social worker may come and pick up the food if the situation is really desperate. But the train is within walking distance and the bus stop is a block-and-a-half away on South Avenue."

Empathy Leads to Understanding

Beginning Monday, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is presenting a Food Stamp Challenge in which the organization is inviting everyone to live on the average food stamp budget of $31.50 for one week.

"While living on a food stamp budget for just a week cannot come close to the struggles encountered by low-income families week after week and month after month, it does provide those who take the challenge with a new perspective and greater understanding," the FoodBank's website states.

"This way people can really begin to understand what that means," Riley said.

To help increase awareness about the plight of the hungry, officials from the FoodBank will write and update a blog as the week progresses. 

For more information, or to volunteer, contact Bill Crandall at 908-233-5446 or Tom Conheeney at 908-233-2145. For more information about receiving food, contact Union County Division of Social Services at 908-965-2700.

To drop off food donations at local pantries, see the list below.

 To participate in a food, toy or coat drive, see the list below: