By Jessica Easthope
Camden, New Jersey, consistently ranks among the most dangerous cities in the country. But the crime here is no match for their compassion.
“It’s not that we’re brave, but we’re loving boldly and trying our best to enhance our ministry by inviting many people into our mission and ministry.”
Sr. Bonnie McMenamin runs the show here at the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Center. The sisters and their volunteers are called to feed the hungry—and in Camden, there are many.
The latest data from the New Jersey Department of Health shows 11.3 percent of the population is food insecure. However, more than one-third of residents live in poverty.
“If they have jobs at all, it’s very low-paying jobs. I would just say that most of our parents cannot feed their families.”
On the third Wednesday of every month, hundreds come to Christus Lutheran Church. They take a number and wait inside as the sisters and volunteers set up their food pantry.
Jennifer LaRosa has been volunteering for years. Now, as the Director of Servant Leadership at St. Joseph Academy in Hammonton, New Jersey, she brings students to help.
“It’s living out our faith in action, which is really, really important, and I say that to our students all the time—that while we’ll be doing a lot of the work and the heavy lifting, we end up getting back way more than we give.”
The food that’s given out ranges from fresh produce and protein to bread and sweets. It needs to cover all the basics because Camden has the largest food desert community in the state.
“Education is a huge part of it, and why, you know, giving them a balanced diet, it’s a balanced meal.”
Here, the people who come to shop at the food pantry are called neighbors.
“As Sisters of Saint Joseph, we always refer to them as dear neighbors. The idea is that each person we meet is our neighbor, and we see God within each person we meet.”
Linda Nieves, a neighbor who has been coming since the pantry’s inception, says a community has formed around the center.
“It was bad with the crime and neglect, but it has improved because there’s been more help for the people in the community. You know the Lord. And there’s always a way—He will make a way, no matter what. So if you have faith, there’s hope.”
Feeding the hungry in Camden is a heavy lift, but the hope the center dishes out is slowly replacing the struggle.
If you’d like to help the sisters with their mission, just go to ssjnc.org/wishlist.