High School Surprises Samaritan Center Food Pantry with Large Donation

 Principal Jeff Simon attends every Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education meeting in order to stay informed about what is going on within the district. One meeting last May particularly piqued Simon’s interest, when Manalapan resident Leon Sirulnick rose to speak about the struggles of the local food pantry, the Samaritan Center.

The Samaritan Center offers food weekly to residents in Manalapan, Englishtown, Marlboro, and Millstone Township who need assistance. Over the past several years, the clientele of the food pantry has risen greatly, according to volunteer and Board of Directors member Rita Liberati. The facility now serves approximately 200 families.

When Simon heard about the hardships of the food pantry, he told Assistant Principal Thomas Gallahue that he wanted to help. “Being Manalapan High School and we’re so close to the Samaritan Center, we’re a great resource and Mr. Simon felt that we should probably help out,” Gallahue said.

That summer, Simon sent out a school-wide automated phone message that included a statement about the food drive. Simon asked students to bring in a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Samaritan Center when they came to the high school over the summer to pick up their parking passes and also on the first day of school.

“The response was terrific considering it was kind of a spur of the moment idea,” Gallahue said.

This is the first time the high school has donated food to the Samaritan Center, although it is certainly not their first food drive. The high school runs food drives around Thanksgiving time and has donated to the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune, according to Simon.

The high school will run a food drive specifically for the Samaritan Center the week before Thanksgiving this year. The peer leadership group at school, headed by Tim Fleming, will organize the food drive. 

Manalapan High School will “adopt” the Samaritan Center, according to Gallahue. “Anytime there are things that [the center] needs, we have the great avenue of going through the students and their parents to gain resources,” the assistant principal said.

This food drive was the first one the high school has held at the beginning of a school year, and it is something the principal said he wants to continue every year. With more time to promote the drive and by sending out more messages, Simon said he expects the donations to be greater next year.

After several high school students loaded up Gallahue’s truck with the donated food, the assistant principal drove over to the Samaritan Center to surprise them with the large contribution, which the center definitely needed.

Just that morning Liberati had to run to to purchase cereal because the center had completely run out. “Our shelves are really getting low, so anything that can be contributed is very, very much appreciated,” Liberati said.

The center, which is located directly behind the on Rt. 522, requires interviews and registration by prospective clients but does not discriminate.  

“Almost anyone in need, that is the most important thing, who is finding it difficult to buy food for their family [will be given food],” Liberati said. 

Liberati said she was extremely pleased with the news that the high school would continue to lend a helping hand. “They’ve been so generous and it’s just a wonderful thought because our rolls are increasing with the present situation that the economy is in. The people need this help, and we are so grateful for these contributions,” she said.

For more information on donations and how to volunteer for The Samaritan Center, please call 732-446-1142.