The EPA Community Service Club visited the Thrift Shop (“God’s Closet”) and Food Pantry at the West Side United Methodist Church in Hopatcong today. Pastor Jinwook Jeong, Ph.D., and Mrs. Dong Jeong warmly welcomed us to their faith community, whose congregation is diverse. They gave us guided tours of the Food Pantry and the Thrift Shop, both of which have been serving New Jersey residents since the early 1970s. Pastor Jeong said, “We are open to all the people in need.” He described the process of how people donate, and how their donations are packaged. Donations include pasta, canned sauces, soups, ramen noodles, and sanitary products, like toothpaste and shampoo. On Thanksgiving, West Side United Methodist Church distributed forty boxes to people in need. He asks all the volunteers to be steadfast and “not give up because we don’t know what future God has prepared.” Pastor Jeong also talked about the purpose of the Thrift Shop, which relies on donations of shoes, coats, shirts and pants and other household items. He said Saturdays are the best days for us to volunteer.
Today’s gathering at the West Side United Methodist Church today resembled a miniature U.N. We represented six countries: Spain, China, Korea, Türkiye, Japan, and the United States. Our diversity is intentional, and it is the foundation of EPA. As an international boarding school, we are building sturdy bridges of service with our community. We believe that bridges create a humane and harmonious environment for everyone.
Our visit to the Thrift Shop and Food Pantry was educational and inspirational. We learned about the real stories of people in urgent need of food, shelter, clothing – and love. It helped us to understand the mission of two vital services in Hopatcong, and the importance of volunteers. We applaud the work of the West Side United Methodist Church and commit to support their work as friends and neighbors.
Joseph Richard Preville is an English teacher at EPA.
Pere Payeras Pons is a Junior at EPA.