BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP — The Burlington Township Food Bank is back in action, with enthusiasm nearly as high as the food stacked on the shelves of its new home.
“This is like heaven,” pantry director Domenik Zulla said of the new location at 1200 Route 130. “We were a pantry without a home, and now we have a home.”
The pantry fell on hard times in December, when it lost its location at the struggling Burlington Center Mall. After working with a host of partners from the township, county, state and public sector, the pantry found the new spot, and got a significant boost from the Burlington stores chain, which is providing the building rent free.
“We didn’t find a building. We found a partner,” Zulla said of the deal, which was worked out prior to the start of the year.
“Otherwise, we would not have a pantry,” he said. “We can’t afford to pay rent. All of the buildings we looked at were $3,000 a month. We’re giving the food away. We’re not selling it.”
Members of the nonprofit’s board agreed and thanked all those who have supported it.
"The food pantry, unfortunately, is a vital part of our community,” board president Miklos Foltiny said.
The pantry is operating again, with multiple storage areas, 19 freezers running and dozens of volunteers at the ready.
“It allows us to help individuals (and) families that are going through a difficult time financially to make their life a little better," Foltiny said.
“It could be a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker that is going through a tough time.”
And it’s not just at the holidays.
“This is an everyday occurrence for many,” Foltiny said of residents who don't have enough to eat. “Tough decisions whether to pay a bill or put food on the table are a reality. We hope that with our pantry or others that we help create situations where they do not always have to make those decisions."
The pantry actually has been up and running “like a well-oiled machine” for several weeks, Zulla said, but it decided to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday to show off its new home to a number of dignitaries and express appreciation to those who played a role in its success.
“Our community far outreaches our borders,” Foltiny said. “We had folks who tried to assist or contribute on social media, to volunteers who help at the pantry, to local governing bodies and other charitable organizations. It is a team effort.”
For more information about the Burlington Township Food Pantry, visit btfoodpantry.org.
