As the holiday season fast approaches and merchants compete for your business, consider donating to the Redeemer Health Food Pantry to help those in need.
“A lot of people are having milestone birthdays and anniversaries,” says Veronica Schuck, the food pantry coordinator of the Redeemer Health Food Pantry. “Your family is having parties, and people want to buy gifts. Usually, the people being celebrated say, ‘We don’t need anything.’
“Instead of buying gifts this year, we would like to recommend that you donate nonperishable goods to the food pantry.”
In the United States alone, 48 million people are food insecure, meaning they have uncertain and inadequate access to food. Of that number, 1.2 million live in New Jersey. In Cape May County, 14.3% face daily hunger. The Redeemer Health Food Pantry is striving to lower these numbers.
The Redeemer Health Food Pantry, previously known as the Holy Redeemer Food Bank, opened more than 30 years ago when Sisters of the Redeemer established their Home Health Agency in Swainton.
The Sisters conducted home-care and house visits with community members and noticed that many individuals had minimal to no food in their homes. Sister Mary Ann recognized that something needed to change and began taking food from the convent to give to those in need. Eventually, the need became too great for the convent to support alone, and the Sisters opened the Holy Redeemer Food Bank in Swainton, where it stayed for more than 25 years.
In September of 2025, the food pantry was relocated to Ocean View and given the updated name Redeemer Health Food Pantry. It partnered with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and is routinely open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to noon.
Linese with donated coat for her 2-year-old granddaughter.
“We are a guaranteed place for people to come for food,” Schuck says. “We have over 25 volunteers who do all the work of serving families, stocking shelves, and bringing in supplies. They are really hard workers, and we are blessed to have over 25 of them.”
The pantry operates in a “neighborhood choice” model of shopping.
“That means when people come in, they get to choose their own food rather than us just handing them bags of food that we think they want,” Schuck says. She noted that as the colder weather rolls in, warmer foods like soup, beans, and chili are most wanted.
In September, the Redeemer Health Food Pantry received 2,141 pounds of food donated by the community.
“We have many, many donors from Avalon and Stone Harbor,” Schuck says. “It’s wonderful, wonderful people that live over there.”
In addition to the food pantry, Alexis Batten Binder organizes a group of women from Seven Mile Beach to purchase items for families in need.
“We individually meet with whoever comes in to do the shopping at the food pantry to see if they have any suggestions or needs,” Schuck explains. “And I’m telling you, the range of needs is so varied. Then Alexis Binder and her group get together and divvy up the families. They all go shopping and get together to sort out the presents. They wrap them and then bring the presents over to us. We call the families, and they can come and pick up their gifts. Alexis and her group are major benefactors for this program.”
The Redeemer Health Food Pantry accepts other donations as well, and most recently an organization bought winter coats for families and children.
Donations, no matter how big or small, make a huge difference in people’s lives. This season, consider making a donation to the Redeemer Health Food Pantry and help fight hunger in Cape May County and New Jersey.
How to Donate
458 Woodbine Ocean View Road, Suite C, Ocean View, NJ 08230 | 609-675-6314 | redeemerhealth.org
Open from 9am-noon on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Click for Amazon Wishlist donations.
If you are interested in volunteering, call 215-623-6259 for more information.
If you or a loved one are in need of food, call 609-675-6314 or stop by during operating hours.