By Jessica Easthope
When Phil Stafford pulls up to WaWa and jumps out of his van, he takes on a new persona.
It comes with a cape and a lot of compassion. He’s there to pick up excess food to give to the hungry.
“More people know me as ‘Superman’ than know me as Phil,” Stafford said. “Basically I started off by helping a food pantry years ago and I saved Thanksgiving for a lot of people and they said ‘you’re Superman’ and then it’s stuck.”
Stafford quit his job as a painter and interior designer 10 years ago to be “Superman” full time.
Now, he feeds more than 2,000 families a week as the executive director of his nonprofit, New Jersey Food and Clothing Rescue.
During the week Stafford hits up around 10 grocery stores taking whatever they don’t want and giving it to those who do want it. Every day in New Jersey, 4 million pounds of food gets thrown out.
“The supply is there; there’s plenty of food for everybody and even enough to give some away. The problem is the logistics and that’s where we come in, they say hey, can you pick up on a Tuesday or Friday or Sunday or a holiday? And we say ‘yes’ and we pick it up.”
It all leads up to Saturday, when New Jersey Food and Clothing Rescue runs a pop-up food pantry at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wallington, New Jersey. Stafford isn’t Catholic, but his heart and mind are aligned with what the Church says about charity.
His life’s purpose is to do for others.
“I’ve always believed in helping people, and the Church has always taught to help people so it aligns. There’s no way you can put a monetary value on the feelings that you get when you see someone in trouble and you help them out.”
Over the years Stafford has realized that his cape has given him super powers.
“I don’t think I’m Superman,” Stafford said. “Other people call me Superman and it’s cool and I wear a cape to fool around, but it’s a very serious thing and people need help more than anybody realizes. It’s really becoming a crisis, so the more help we can give out the better off they’ll be.”
What makes him a hero isn’t the ability to fly, but the ability to be kind.
If you too would like to be a superhero and donate to New Jersey Food and Clothing Rescue, just go to NJFOODCLOTHINGRESCUE.ORG.