By Cecilia Ologunagba
Goke Food Pantry (GFP), operating out of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), a Nigerian Church in New York, has supported more than one million families with food items in the past 10 years.
Goke Food Pantry provides essential, nutritious meals for a better healthy life. It also provides essential charity services to individuals and families in dire need.
The services have greatly helped to combat poverty and hunger in the community, as New York City battles unemployment and the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the City.
Executive Director of Goke Food Pantry, Pastor Oluwagbemiga Famojuro, in a statement to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pantry, said Goke Food Pantry, in the past ten years had served over one million families.
“This year to date, it has served approximately 12,000 people, (about 6,287 adults, seniors about 1,317 and Children about 3,578) and the number keeps growing.
“These numbers, however, tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic when it was forced to open her doors for services twice every week,” Famojuro said in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York.
Famojuro, also a pastor in charge of the CAC (first in the Americas), said the Food Pantry opened its doors for services twice every week, to accommodate the unprecedented surge in the demand for foods in the community and the city in general.
According to him, Goke Food Pantry increased its services, serving capacity and distribution hub with an average of 2,500 people per week, being served.
He said food insecurity had been a huge issue throughout United States, and the presence of Goke Food Pantry in Kensington Neighborhood of Brooklyn New York and its invaluable services to the community had helped to alleviate this problem.
“It has tremendously helped to feed less fortunate individuals and also helps them all to save money they would have otherwise spent on groceries to take care of other precious family needs,” the pastor said.
Named after the late Rev. Dr. Adegoke Iyanda Oyedeji, Goke Food Pantry opened its doors to serve the Kensington community of Brooklyn on June 8, 2013.
The initiative was initially funded and staffed by members of the church.
Since then, GFP has expanded to include volunteers from the community and has partnered with outside organisations to provide food to those in need. (NAN)
