By Krystle J Bailey
No1 Hungry in EHC, a nonprofit organization that began out of a small 24-hour open-air pantry a little over five years ago, is expanding its reach with a new 4,100-square-foot building that will serve as a food pantry for thousands of local families.
Angela Krukauskas started the organization as a means to give back to her neighbors following the extended hospitalization of her husband. After his discharge, Angela was so inspired by the generosity of her friends and the local residents who supported her family during uncertain times that she made it her life mission to bless as many other people as possible.
The original open-air pantry started with one box of stuffing and a sign that read, “Take a blessing if you need one, leave a blessing when you can.” Day after day, the pantry grew as word caught on and the news spread across social media.
Soon, toys and gift cards filled the pantry, and by the first holiday season, Krukauskas was able to help 41 local children with Christmas gifts. Since then, the blessings have poured in in abundance, and the one-pantry has turned into refrigerators, freezers, medical supplies and more, available for local individuals in need.
This year, Krukauskas and her team are proud to announce that they’ve acquired a 4,100-square-foot building in the heart of Egg Harbor City to provide even more assistance to the community. The building will accommodate more than double the meals and resources provided by No1 Hungry with the anticipation of feeding upwards of 5,000 individuals in need this year.
No1 Hungry is seeking volunteer support for the building’s renovation. There is plumbing and flooring work that needs to be completed, as well as cosmetic painting and upgrades.
“We are diligently working on rehabbing this 140-year-old building and could use some community help,” said Angela Krukauskas, who plans to have the building fully functioning by this December.
The organization helps anyone in need without barriers to entry. Whether they need a hospital bed or a can of beans, the 200-plus-person team will go above and beyond to fill any need. Using the University of Pittsburgh screening procedures, families are served according to their demographics, not their finances.
“Everybody’s need level is different,” explains Krukauskas.
No1 Hungry in EHC is accepting support, donations, and corporate sponsorship. Learn more and donate at No1HungryinEHC.com. If anyone is interested in donating time or resources to the restoration of the building located at 233 Philadelphia Avenue in Egg Harbor City, contact Angela at 609-287-2450
