SPRING LAKE — The St. Catharine Conference of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) is hosting its third annual food drive collecting nonperishable goods, hygiene products and other donations that will later be delivered to St. Peter Claver Pantry in Asbury Park.
Set for Saturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 8, the drive is looking to the community to help in gathering nonperishable food items and personal hygiene products for those in need in the local area.
In addition to food items, the drive also accepts monetary donations of gift cards and cash.
Donations will be accepted before and after Mass times, and designated marked cars will have tailgates open for drop-offs.
On Feb. 8, items can be dropped off at St. Margaret’s Church at 4 p.m. and at 5 p.m. at St. Catharine’s Church. On Feb. 9, items can be dropped off at St. Margaret’s Church at 8 and 10 a.m, and at St. Catharine’s Church at 9 a.m. and noon.
St. Margaret’s Church is located at 300 Ludlow Ave. and St. Catharine’s Church sits at 215 Essex Ave.
Some suggested items include canned fruit and vegetables, cooking oils, soups and baked beans, pasta and pasta sauces, cereal, peanut butter and jelly, baking mixes, mac and cheese, rice and/or beans, toilet paper, paper towels, razors, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby diapers and baby wipes. Expired items will not be accepted.
The St. Catharine’s Conference of Saint Vincent de Paul operates in Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt and areas in Wall Township, and, according to SVDP member Pat Giles, has previously assisted St. Peter Claver Pantry with a winter food drive. Now, following the holiday season, there is a need to resupply the pantry shelves.
As the conference heads into its third year, its mission of “meeting the needs of neighbors in the area” continues to be at the forefront of its efforts.
“Many folks think there is no one in Spring Lake that needs food,” said Giles. “Last year, we helped 155 families in our area that needed help with food and housing. That’s up from 35 families helped in our first year,” she said, adding that the number of families assisted has maintained steady growth since its inaugural year.
Check out our other Spring Lake stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you're not already an annual subscriber to The Coast Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.