In an effort to give back to the community and to help show support after Hurricane Sandy, Handy Store Fixtures donated necessary shelving units to The People's Pantry.
After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, The People's Pantry was born. This pantry was created out of the massive donations that poured into New Jersey and nearby shelters that were set up by a local school district.
To show support for this amazing cause, Handy Store Fixtures donated traditional and gondola shelving units to help store the mass amounts of food, tools and household items homeowners may have lost in the devastation. The People's Pantry is located on a property that is 20,000 square feet and has grown to become a source of help for families all over the area.
"It was and is our vision to give back to the community we live in and provide the survivors of Hurricane Sandy with a fresh start. The People's Pantry seemed like the perfect fit since they were in need of effective shelving units to organize their inventory. We are proud to play a small role in helping the pantry more easily reach their goals," said Handy Store Fixtures president, Paul Kurland.
The pantry is currently stocked and has in-house representatives from AmeriCorps who are taking and scheduling work orders to aid the homeowners in the clean outs and rebuilding of homes. There are also counselors from "Hope and Healing" on site for emotional support for those clients who are suffering with emotional trauma.
Currently, The People's Pantry has close to 5000 families registered and they see between 600 to 800 families a week. These are all storm or flood victims and every family has a FEMA registration number. The People's Pantry is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and every Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Patricia Donaghue, Director of the People's Pantry, has been integral in the move and expansion after Hurricane Sandy. She has been involved in the community for many years. "It is my vision to have a singular location for our survivors to go to get everything from food to emotional support, and to get help by way of volunteer labor in seeing their homes be rebuilt," Donaghue said.
If you're interested in getting involved with The People's Pantry, feel free to donate your time or contribute anything from cleaning supplies, non-perishable foods and snacks for children, to kitchen appliances, shampoo products and laundry supplies.
Handy Store Fixtures has been expertly manufacturing gondola shelving for more than 50 years. Our products are strong and adaptable. Handy outfits every kind of retail operation including home centers, drug stores, grocery stores and more. With a complete spectrum of steel shelving products and retail store shelving, Handy has all your shelving needs covered.