Among the many things I love, food is unquestionably near the top of my list. Regrettably, food also seems to be something I often take for granted. Especially as we approach the holidays, it becomes even more important to appreciate the things you otherwise might take for granted. When you really look around, it becomes easy to see why you should appreciate what you have.
Earlier this month, I volunteered at a food pantry in Teaneck, just 20 minutes away from Glen Rock. Although this wasn’t my first time volunteering at this pantry, it was the first time I paid greater attention to what I was doing. My favorite part about the pantry is the fact that it is in Teaneck. I spent the first three years of my life in Teaneck, while my Mom spent her entire childhood in Teaneck, giving both of us a natural connection to the town. As you approach the pantry, it’s difficult to make out anything resembling a food pantry. The pantry itself resides in an old, run-down building, giving you the impression that the inside maintains the same feeling. However, as you move inside the pantry, it proves to be quite the opposite.
Despite there only being three other volunteers other than myself and my Mom, the pantry is full of life. We arrived at the pantry at around 10:00 a.m. Immediately, I was tasked to organize the food that we would later be handing out. As you organize the food, it is interesting to see what places the food is coming from. While we get a large portion of the food from Stop and Shop, much of the food we get is donated from local small businesses, going to show how helpful the community around us can be. After nearly two hours of organizing food, the people finally started to roll in. Some people came with their kids, while others came alone. Over the next two and a half hours, around 40 people stopped by. While this might not seem like a large number of people, the main task of actually preparing and handing out the food was handled almost solely by me and my Mom. While it was hard work, the work itself was extremely fulfilling. The gratification of helping others, especially as you approach a holiday like Thanksgiving, is arguably better than Thanksgiving day itself.
