Stuffing the bus to fill the pantry - The Sparta Independent

Stuffing the bus to fill the pantry - The Sparta Independent

Annual effort to help eradicate hunger

Published Nov 16, 2016 at 2:16 pm (Updated Nov 16, 2016)

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By Rose Sgarlato

SPARTA- “You never know if your next door neighbor is hungry.”

Words from Carol Novrit of the Sussex County Food Pantry, in a conversation about this weekend’s Stuff the Bus Campaign that will have a presence in Sparta for the first time thanks to sponsor Mohawk House.

Under the umbrella of Social Services, Novrit, administrator of Health and Human Services for Sussex County, has been overseeing the Sussex County Food Pantry at 83 Spring Street in Newton since being hired there ten years ago.

The volunteer-operated pantry feeds 1200 individuals a month and is open to anyone Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Every year we grow and most of the people we serve are working,” said Novrit. “Anyone who asks for food can have food.”

All the food collected stays in Sussex County.

“We help out other pantries if we need to. We want people to be able to go in their own towns to get food also,” she added.

The annual county-wide Stuff the Bus Campaign on Nov. 18-20, now in its 9th year, originated under Novrit’s direction. Teaming up for the first time to support the event will be Steve Scro of Mohawk House. The local police forces of Sparta, Andover and Byram are also pitching in with a coordinated Cram the Cruiser drive to also collect food.

“As a result of an empty food pantry nine years ago, we started Stuff the Bus. I approached all the radio stations and said please help,” Novrit said.

iHeart Radio’s three local stations promote the event on air and set up drop- off points, with a big bus throughout the weekend — at First Hope Bank in Andover on Friday and Weiss Markets in Newton and Franklin on Sunday.

And a new drop-off point in Sparta will be at the former Carl’s Auto Body Shop on 5 West Shore Trail on Saturday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20 from 10a.m. to 6 p.m. And although this is the first time Sparta will be a part of the community effort, it certainly won’t be the last, said Scro, who owns the property that housed Carl’s.

“Making a difference and creating a cornerstone in Sparta is what I set out to do before I built Mohawk House," Scro said. "And I am living the dream as I help others fulfill their dreams. We are truly blessed for where we live and surrounded by such great people. We should embrace it-I am proud to be a Spartan.”

Scro is grateful also to Franklin Sussex Automall and local police stations for participating in the event by collecting food. More can be found out about the efforts on the Sparta Police Facebook page.

In addition to the collected food going to the pantry to be distributed, social services also has a weekend feeding program for children that began a year ago.

“ We didn’t realize how many kids are going to school on Monday hungry,” said Novrit.

As a result, her department created ‘weekend bags’ that are distributed in four school districts: Montague, Hopatcong, Franklin and Newton. In the individual plastic bags are a variety of food items that children can take home with them on Fridays.

And, Novrit added, senior citizens in low-income housing are also some of the people who benefit from the pantry.

“When you feed people you change their lives, especially kids,” said Novrit.

The Stuff the Bus at the former Carl’s Auto Body space has particular meaning for Scro because his uncle Carmen Scro owned the business for years.

“My uncle’s vision was always trying to help people by doing good things in the body shop and for his community. So for this event with all these good people coming together, he will be very proud,” said Scro.

And even if the bus overflows on Saturday and Sunday, Scro said there is plenty of room in the garage to accept donations.

For more information: http://ift.tt/2fAjrz5

Helpful tips from Social Services when donating items:

• · Check the shelf life of items to make sure the dates are recent and not expired.

• · Pop-tops on canned goods is a better choice because people don’t have can openers.

• · Pet food for both dogs and cats is needed.

· The following is a list of some suggested food items:

• o Macaroni and cheese

• o Peanut butter

• o Cereal

• o Boxed Pasta

• o Meals in a can

• o Protein in a can: tuna

• Granola bars

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