First Baptist Church, United Way Serve Lunch to Wildwood Needy

WILDWOOD — With cold winter weather starting to creep into the daily forecast, it’s comforting to know that there is a place for hungry people in this city to get something to eat.
Every Thursday, the Cape May County chapter of United Way provides food pantry and hot lunch services for those in need at First Baptist Church of Wildwood, 230 E. Maple Ave. The pantry opens its doors at 10:30 a.m., and volunteers begin serving the weekly hot lunch at 11:30 a.m.
Diners can eat lunch every week and visit the food pantry once a month. Food pantry customers must provide a form of picture identification and a utility bill with a Wildwood address. Lunch is open to anyone, and runs October through April.
First Baptist Church Pastor Joe Mathis told the Herald that the United Way pantry program predates his arrival at the church 13 years ago. He said the church provides office and storage space to United Way for the pantry and use of its kitchen and hall for the lunches.
“It’s not one of those things the church sought out to do,” Mathis said. “We just happen to be located in one of those neighborhoods where these services are needed.”
He said the programs have grown over the years, particularly since the economy has struggled in the last few years.
“When we first started, we had very few customers,” Mathis said. He noted that the program provided 58 lunches last week and the pantry serves about 20 each week.
Mathis said those who visit the hot lunch and pantry programs are mostly employed but under-employed.
“They have minimum-wage jobs and don’t get enough hours to make ends meet,” Mathis said.
The United Way pantry is supplied not only through donations to First Baptist, but also through members of the Greater Wildwood Pastoral Association, which includes: Notre Dame de la Mer, St. Simeon’s Episcopal, Eureka Baptist, North Wildwood United Methodist, First Presbyterian, First UMC Crest, Beth Judah Temple, La Gran Assembly, Island Family Worship, Holy Trinity Lutheran, First Latin American Pentecostal, St. Demetrios, Eureka Baptist and the Carpenter’s Shop.
The pantry offers a selection of fresh produce and dairy as well as canned goods, cereal and pasta. Also available are personal health products such as soap, shampoo and diapers.
Mathis told the Herald the pantry is “not meant to be a grocery store, but rather a place to get emergency supplies.”
The hot lunches are provided through volunteers.
“It’s been refreshing to see the community get behind hot lunch program,” Mathis said. “To see not just churches, but also civic groups and individuals serve and provide the lunches.”
It’s a program that Mathis hopes to see continue to thrive, he said. Mathis noted that the church also has a supply of clothing
it’s been giving out with the chilly winter weather about to set in.
The Herald visited the church on Thur., Oct. 21 when lunch customers were served by volunteers from the Events, Entertainment and Group Services departments of Morey’s Piers. Volunteers included Martina Scully, Stephanie Berge, Annie O’Boyle, Tim Samson, Nick Lassor, Lindsey Young and Kristel Fillmore.
Fillmore serves on the United Way Board of Directors and also manages the food pantry program. The Morey’s employees were joined by regular lunch volunteers John Ebancich, Stephanie Garland and Terry O’Neill.
They served coffee and iced tea, hot dogs, beans, french fries and salad with a treat of chocolate-covered pretzels for dessert.
Fillmore told the Herald that group and individual volunteers are always needed at the United Way. She said her calendar shows that lunches in February still need to be staffed.
“We need volunteers to donate, prepare and serve the lunches,” she said. “We never say no to volunteers.”
Individuals, businesses, civic groups and other organizations that are interested in volunteering should contact the United Way at (609) 729-2002.
Donations of non-perishable, food, diapers, shampoo, soap deodorant and other items can drop them off at First Baptist.
“These are amazing programs that the community absolutely needs,” Fillmore said, noting that there is a particular need for the hot lunches because of the seasonal nature of the local economy with a large percentage of Wildwood’s population unemployed for the winter.
“I hope it continues for years to come,” Fillmore said.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, good things come to those who help.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,” the Gospel said. “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” they asked in return.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” the Gospel said.