BARNEGAT – As she hears the creak of the door to the Barnegat Food Pantry, Laura Traphagen springs into action, swiftly leaving her office behind. With a warm smile and an empathetic heart, Traphagen steps into the main area, ready to greet whoever seeks assistance.
A family of five stands before her, with three young children’s eyes filled with curiosity and uncertainty. Now the director, Traphagen has volunteered with the Barnegat Food Pantry and Thrift Shop for over eighteen years.
As this location’s food pantry, services are intended for individuals living in Barnegat and the Township of Ocean, Traphagen first asks the mom where the family lives.
“We’re in the Barnegat Motel,” explains Jasmine Johnson. “We were wrongfully evicted from our home and lost everything. We were sent there so we wouldn’t be homeless.”
The information is all that Traphagen needs to hear as she asks Johnson for identification to enter the family’s name into the handwritten daily log.
As Johnson starts to look at some bread donated by Trader Joe’s, Traphagen proceeds to put together another package of food that’s out of sight from the main area. She also offers the young mother a small crockpot so she can heat things up at the motel.
The next step to keeping a roof over her children’s heads requires some intervention services. Johnson remains hopeful that things will pan out for all of them.
“We’re trying to get me and my family into a more of an assisted living program called Linkages,” Johnson shares. “It would be temporary housing for all of us.”
Johnson’s revelation strikes a chord with the pantry’s director. Little did Johnson know, Traphagen herself once experienced similar hardships. Linkages helped Traphagen move forward in life to a point where she can give back to others.
Traphagen said she’d been placed in the foster care system when she was just three years old. When she and her siblings were returned to their mother, she was unable to take care of them properly.
“She did her flight thing,” said Traphagen. “We were stealing food. We didn’t have food. I know what it’s like to be a kid with five other siblings and a German shepherd and no food.”
The hard times didn’t stop there. Traphagen went on to marry a man with anger issues, adding another layer of difficulty to her life. However, amidst the chaos, she discovered solace and support in Linkages.
Today, Traphagen devotes her time to helping others. She is joined in her noble mission by her adult son, sharing a tangible unbreakable bond reflected in their personal exchange.
“Jonathan’s 28 and is epileptic,” Traphagen shared. “He has special needs and comes in to volunteer with me.”
Within the modest confines of 360A Main Street, resources can sometimes be scarce. However, thanks to the support of township officials, the project received a significant boost when the municipality generously donated the building.
Proceeds generated from the Thrift Shop help buy some of the food passed on to those facing food insecurity. Other monetary donations come from assorted sources, with some tangible contributions recently helping even more people. Various civic organizations and senior developments make an effort to assist those who might otherwise go hungry.
“Last year, somewhere around Christmas or New Year’s Eve, I got a nighttime call from a gentleman named Dave from Trader Joe’s,” said Traphagen. “He called and said he was going to deliver food to another food bank, and they couldn’t take it. Dave wanted to know if we could take it.”
Since that day, Dave has made regular trips from Newark to bring in fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread. Traphagen summed up the donations as a “blessing.”
A warehouse in Edison also supplies the food bank with variations of Rao’s pasta sauce. They make for an excellent addition for families looking to stretch meals.
The on-site Thrift Shop also turns out to be a bit of a saving grace. Traphagen recalled the day she looked down at an elderly man’s downtrodden shoes. Henry, now deceased, was a regular at the pantry.
“They were completely shot,” explained Traphagen. “I asked Henry for his size and went to the closet and pulled out a pair of shoes.”
When Henry insisted on knowing the price, Traphagen informed him the shoes had been marked down to one dollar. Upon learning that Henry had no money, Traphagen quickly changed the sale price to make them free of charge.
The Barnegat Food Pantry and Thrift Shop plays an essential role in the community. In the last six months, they’ve helped at least 200 families who might otherwise go hungry.
Those in need of resources and those who want to give should find a sense of satisfaction in stopping in for a visit. Fifteen volunteers staff the food pantry, open Tuesday 10-2 p.m., Thursday 10-2 p.m., and Saturday 10-2 p.m.
The group can be reached by email at barnegatfoodpantry@gmail.com and by telephone at 609-698-7174.
