Human Needs Food Pantry

Human Needs Food Pantry (HNFP) was initially established in 1982 as an outreach program by the First Baptist Church of Montclair. Within several years, it incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3), committed to the mission of providing free food, clothing and human services to local residents that fall below the federal poverty line.

Their freestanding facility includes a food warehouse, the “Upstairs” clothing rooms and a client service area for free health screenings and more. Their client base comes from Montclair, Bloomfield and a dozen other Essex County towns. They also deliver food to over 200 home-bound clients.

HNFP has grown from serving just 25 people in 1982 to presently serving an average of 3,700 people each month. Their diverse client base includes both families as well as single people who are elderly, disabled, home-bound, unemployed or underemployed (working poor). Over the years, the average number of households that HNFP serves on a monthly has risen steadily, with 458 households served in 2015, up 14% from 402 in 2014.

The Montclair Foundation is happy to support the Pantry’s latest initiative, a Walk-In Combination Cooler/Freezer. The new unit will replace their stand-alone freezers, doubling their freezer space and adding refrigeration to their facility. It will allow HNFP to guarantee that every visiting client will receive perishables in their care package. The new fridge will also increase HNFP’s ability to store more food. The Montclair Foundation has supported the HNFP’s Produce and Protein Initiatives, as well as their 2015 Capital Project. The Produce and Protein funding was used for purchasing groceries for the community and the Capital Project funds were used to help make the Pantry’s building more structurally sound.

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