Philanthropist Joins Rotarians In Support Of Wrightstown Food Cupboard

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Just days before Thanksgiving, Bucks County philanthropist Gene Epstein delivered a check for $3,500 to the Newtown Rotary Club, matching the amount of money raised during the club's fall food drive.

During the October food drive at McCaffrey's, shoppers donated $500 in cash toward the challenge. In addition, the club received a $1,200 donation from the Newtown United Methodist Church and online gifts totaling $3,300.

Coupled with Epstein's matching $3,500 donation, the Rotarians presented the Wrightstown Food Cupboard with a check for $6,800.

"Anybody in the community who doesn't do everything they can to help someone else is missing out on the incredible good feeling you have by knowing that you helped somebody and to pass by and not do it, you're cheating yourself," said Epstein in delivering on his match. "Do everything you can to help other people. You can't do too much, plain and simple."

This fall, reports Mitch McIntire, who operates the food cupboard, the food came in almost faster than he could put it on the shelves and almost faster than he could give it out.

McIntire, who has operated the Wrightstown Cupboard for years, called Epstein's generosity "overwhelming" and "heartwarming."

He said Epstein's matching gift coupled with the money donated by the community, will be used to help stock the shelves and to purchase ACME and Giant gift cards, which will be handed out during the holiday season to financially challenged families who rely on the cupboard for help.

The Wrightstown Food Cupboard primarily serves families and individuals living in the Council Rock School District who are facing challenging times.

According to McIntire, the cupboard relies strictly on community donations, allowing it to give out food with no questions asked. "We don't ask for paperwork and we won't turn anyone away," he said.

Located at the Penns Park United Methodist Church, the cupboard is a joint mission of the township's four churches - Penns Park UMC, Wrightstown Friends Meeting, St. Mark's Orthodox Church and Anchor Presbyterian Church.

"At Rotary, we're about service above self. We look for ways we can give back and the food drives are an important part of that service," said Rotarian Paul Salvatore, who credits fellow Rotarian Shari Donahue for organizing the service project. "And as Gene said, we want to get people in the mood to give and keep giving."

In addition to the monetary donations, Salvatore said the shoppers at McCaffrey's are among the most generous around in terms of supporting the food drives.

"A lady walked out of the store pushing a shopping cart of diapers, which aren't cheap, and walked away with a little bag of fruit for herself and gave us the whole cart. She said, 'I have kids. I know how expensive these are.' That's just one example of what we see happening during the food drive.

"It's heartwarming to experience. People want to help. And Gene's matching financial challenge raises that to the next level and enables the food cupboard to fill in the gaps."