Letter to the Editor: Food Pantry Demonstrates Power of Community

By Rep. Julie A. Casimiro (D-North Kingstown & Exeter)

I began my first term as a state representative in January. Along with getting oriented to the State House, I’ve been meeting with constituents, businesses and civic organizations in my district of North Kingstown/Exeter. I’ve always been curious about the North Kingstown Food Pantry and their School Street location, so I was pleased to receive an invitation to visit this month.

I’ve probably driven past the food pantry on School Street thousands of times, but this was my first time inside their School Street location. Walking in, you’re struck by the sheer volume of food displayed. Set up like a small grocery store, the food pantry offers canned goods, bread, fresh produce and even frozen items like beef and chicken.

My hosts were Pat Tilley and Richard Jacques, who are members of the organization’s Board, Board President Kimberly Ann Page, and Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. They explained that the pantry serves hundreds of households each month, mostly working poor, disabled and elderly residents of North Kingstown. The shelves are stocked with donations from the Food Bank and local grocery stores, supplemented by local food drives and purchases made possible by cash donations.

Having worked at social services agencies for many years, I’m no novice when it comes to the social service world. And yet, I was amazed by the knowledge and expertise needed to run the pantry, which is its own nonprofit organization. To make it work, they rely on a crew of volunteers with skills in management, accounting, inventory and fundraising.

Along with this volunteer effort, there has been a remarkable outpouring of generosity ever since they moved into this site three years ago. From the help needed to rehabilitate the original building to plowing the snow, from grant-writing to building a website, a dedicated business professional or community member always seems to step up.

The Food Pantry receives food and support from the Food Bank as one of its member agencies and is part of a larger network of 200 sites across the state. Together these programs serve 60,000 Rhode Islanders in need of food assistance each month, close to double the number served before the recession.

This visit let me see the power of community, but it also made me aware that charitable food assistance is a limited resource. Agencies like the North Kingstown Food Pantry are operating full-out to meet the need. If President Trump cuts federal funding for basic human services, as promised in his budget, the demand for food assistance will overwhelm the existing capacity.

I am sure that most of my colleagues, Representatives and Senators in the General Assembly, are familiar with the soup kitchens, meal programs, shelters and food pantries in their districts. I urge those who are less familiar with these programs to arrange a visit today. It’s an opportunity to meet some of the most devoted, civic-minded people in our communities. It’s also a reality-check on how the people served by these organizations will be impacted by the draconian cuts that may be coming our way from Washington.

Rep. Julia A. Casimiro is a Democrat and represents District 31 in North Kingstown and Exeter