Food Pantry Opens In Wyckoff, All Are Welcomed, Director Says

WYCKOFF, NJ — After just getting out of high school, 18-year-old Jenny Wells struggled financially, and had to eke out a living on a diet of instant ramen, and macaroni and cheese, and she swore to herself that if she ever had the means in the future, she would help other food-insecure people.

"There is no worse feeling than not being able to eat," Wells said. "It is a basic comfort in life."

Wells was asked by former colleague Cristyn Madley, president of Families for Families in Wyckoff, late last year to run the nonprofit's newly opened food pantry, and Wells, the new pantry's director, said she gladly agreed and "hit the ground running." For two months, the pantry has remained strong, but she and Madley want to get the word out more.

"Jenny has done a wonderful job meeting the needs of people in the community and helping them put food on the table," Marley said. "We are seeing families struggling again, and the pantry could not have come at a better time."

Families for Families, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of those in need, Madley said, started delivering food to clients when the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020 as a way to address food insecurity, and its board of directors decided a pantry would be a better way to meet more people's needs.

"In the beginning, our thought was to help clients, but the pantry is available to anyone," Wells said. "It is for anyone who struggles to make ends meet."

A former board member, Wells stepped down to focus more on getting food to people who were low on funds, because the nonprofit, in its early years, did not have a food program. Now, Wells has returned, and she appreciates that the nonprofit can serve numerous needs, not just food insecurity.

"I like that Families for Families is a resource for neighbors in our town and surrounding towns, and I am glad that we are able to step up to help others," Wells said.

Pantry visitors will be able to pick out what they want, in an effort to give them more a sense of dignity, Wells said, and can schedule an appointment to make going as "seamless and easy" as possible for them.

"Our goal at Families for Families is to help others become self-sufficient, but how can you look for a job when you are worried about how you are going to feed your kids that day?" Madley said. "This is a huge step in helping others move toward self-sufficiency."

Families for Families' food pantry is open from 3 to 5 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays at Garden State Industrial Complex on 250 Braen Ave in Wyckoff. Visitors can also make an appointment, or learn more about the pantry, by emailing foodprogram@families4families.com or texting 347-572-5335.