Doing More Than Plugging the Gaps

Local Pantries Should Be Backstops and Not Our Main Anti-Poverty Tools

The 5 Loaves Food Pantry is located in a small office at the back of the historic Second Reformed Church on College Avenue. The pantry is run by the College Avenue Community Church, but is a secular organization that serves anyone in need.

The pantry itself is made up of a set of neatly stacked shelves organized by food type: Canned fruit, vegetables, other nonperishables, some fresh food, as well. It operates a small lunch program on the second floor four days a week.

I was there last week with students from two of my journalism classes, who are working on a story on poverty, hunger and need in New Brunswick. Most of the students have no experience or background with the problem of food insecurity — they hail from suburban communities around the country and are just beginning to view the broader world.

The pantry is one of about a dozen in the city of New Brunswick and one of dozens in the larger region, and evidence that our economic system continues to fail a large portion of people. In a perfect world, pantries like 5 Loaves — and its 2 Loaves soup kitchen — would not be needed. There would be enough food for all and no one would struggle with what is called “food insecurity.” But that is not the world we live in.