Gregory neighborhood provides record donations to pantry

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The fifth annual Gregory Neighborhood Food Drive collected a record number of donations for the local food pantry and provided nearly 80 bags of toiletry and goods from Gregory Elementary School, according to a release.

The food drive, coordinated this year by West Orange residents and Gregory parents Amy Hains and Sarah Shick, provided much-needed nonperishable foods for the Holy Trinity-West Orange Food Pantry, located at 315 Main St. More than 240 Gregory neighborhood families donated to the food drive, and items were sorted and delivered to the pantry Dec. 13, 2015.

On Dec. 18, 2015, Hains dropped off nearly 80 toiletry gift bags, which had been assembled fifth-graders during the toiletries drive at Gregory Elementary School. With 70 families coming for food that day, almost all the gift bags were taken, to the appreciation of pantry members.

“We are again overwhelmed with the generosity of the Gregory neighborhood and Gregory School,” food pantry administrator Cynthia Cumming said. “The West Orange community always comes together to help each other out, and this is one amazing example. There will be food and toiletries for all our members this month and into the winter.”