Whether it is helping to feed Abington residents in need or assisting a family financially, the St. Vincent De Paul/Abington Food Pantry is a great resource in our community. The food pantry is staffed by over 20 volunteers. My grandfather, Pete Worden, has served as a volunteer at the food pantry since retiring three years ago.

The volunteers at the food pantry work together doing many jobs that help the entire process run smoothly. From big jobs like unloading groceries from the trucks to little jobs like checking the dates on cans, every single detail matters. According to Worden “shopping with the people” is his favorite thing to do at the pantry. He also has “enjoyed meeting new people and becoming friends with other volunteers.”

Throughout the pantry, there are many rooms, and each serve a purpose. There is the shopping area, inventory, walk-in freezers, the meat room and the waiting room. Small aisles are set up in the shopping area so it is easier for people to move around and find items. The rooms are well organized. The food that is stocked in the aisles is usually the result of generous donations. Many local business and community groups donate to the pantry, including Trader Joe’s, Pea Pod, UTZ, Abington Public School food drives, Trucchi’s, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Boy Scouts.

Food drives within the school system encourage young children to think of others and to contribute to those in need.  The small jobs that the volunteers do help make the pantry successful in servicing the community; each canned good or a box of pasta makes a huge difference to someone in need.

The St. Vincent de Paul/Abington Food Pantry provides a great opportunity for residents to give back to the community and to help others. Whether you are in elementary school or retired, there is always a way to help. Volunteering at the pantry is also a great way to get community service hours for confirmation or to satisfy school community service requirements. Anyone who is interested in donating to or volunteering for the St. Vincent de Paul/Abington Food Pantry can call 781-878-6087. Sometimes it’s the little things we do that make the biggest difference.