“Jeet?”
In South Jersey, we don’t say, “Did you eat yet?”, we say, “Jeet?” And we certainly don’t reply, “No, did you eat yet?”, we say, “No, Dju?” And then we go to the diner!
It’s a great question though. There’s nothing like gathering around the table with family and friends for a good meal. However, with the current price of groceries, putting food on the table has become quite a challenge for many people in South Jersey. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, food prices are at an above-historical-average rate, with a predicted increase of 6.5 percent in 2023. Rent.com reported in their blog, The Cost of Living in New Jersey in 2022, that “The cost of groceries in New Jersey is 8.7 percent above the national average. Locals spend between $3,201 and $3,600 on food per person annually”.
We are seeing the effects of increased food prices at the Dream Center like never before as guests stretch their grocery dollars to feed their families. Guests like Jill (above), who heard about our Curbside Grocery Pick Up through Facebook and reached out to us for assistance. She has a family of five, including two working adults, and is looking for ways to become more financially stable during these difficult times.
Though the demand for food assistance has increased, we thank God for the generosity of our faithful donors who gave toward our Virtual Food Drive last month for Hunger Action Month. Thanks to all of you we are able to re-stock our shelves and get ready to help. So now, when our guests are asked “Jeet?”, they can easily reply “Yes! Dju?”
Celebrating with Zallie’s
From left to right: Kim Bezanis, Executive Director, Renee Zallie, Linda Snuffin, Natalie Fortunato, Founder, Rev. Joseph Fortunato
It has been such a pleasure to partner with the Zallie Community Foundation. They have donated pies and hams for the holidays and various other food items, AND gave us space in front of the West Deptford ShopRite to host a Food Drive this past June. It was a big success thanks to the generosity of the constant flow of customers. We were also honored to be one of the recipients of a $15,000 grant as part of the Zallie Family Markets 50th Anniversary Celebration. The unds will be used to purchase commercial refrigerators and freezers so that our guests can “shop“ for their non-perishable items when they visit our Curbside Grocery Pick Up.
A Big-Hearted Business
It was a cold day in March, 2015 when we first visited with Ed Schultes (left) at their family pump and motor repair shop to discuss the possibility of using a few of their offices for our non-profit...and we never left! For the past eight years A.C. Schultes has blessed us with over 5,000 square feet of space, at no charge. Not only have they been generous with their building, Ed volunteers 2-4 days a week as a pickup and delivery driver, and Pete Schultes (right) and his crew help us with deliveries that require a forklift and just about anything else we need. We would NOT be able to serve struggling families without this space. Yes, we are still looking for our own building, but words can't describe how thankful we are for the space they've provided that has enabled us to grow in leaps and bounds over the years.
Youth Volunteers
Now that the school year is off to a great start, what better way to earn service hours than by serving at the SJDC...like Jacob did! Whether it‘s for the National Honor Society, a community project, or you want to show leadership experience on your college application, let us help you make a huge impact on your local area. Simply complete a volunteer application HERE.
For many years, West Deptford Energy has been an awesome friend and partner to the Dream Center. Their sense of community and generosity has been a tremendous blessing to us and the people we serve. They have such a heart for others and are so quick to help in any way they can.
In The News
Newborn Clothing Drives
Mark and his fellow employees at Omega Engineering in Swedesboro collected over 175 pounds of adorable newborn items for the moms and dads we serve. Thank you to Rachael from Paulsboro Refining Company, George Damminger, and Chris at FedX Ground for donating items as well.
Another Load of Love
We are so thankful for the ACY8 Amazon in Burlington who has donated over 5500 pounds of various items. Big thank you to Elaina and Wolf who always help!
Donor Dollars at Work
Caleb delivered a fresh supply of much-needed large-size diapers to help moms and dads care for their babies. Thank you for helping make this possible.
