The Trenton Times published the following editorial on July 10, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Editorial: Fire that destroyed Crisis Ministry’s pantry in Trenton rekindles faith in community to rebuild

By Times of Trenton Editorial Board 
on July 10, 2013 at 5:46 AM

The name leaves no doubt whatsoever about the Crisis Ministry of Mercer Inc.’s mission.
Established nearly 35 years ago, the organization has “partnered with our community to achieve stability for our neighbors in need.”

About 18 months ago, after a fire destroyed 30 tons food and rendered the Crisis Ministry’s East Hanover Street location in Trenton unusable, the organization found itself in need. But not for long.

The Mercer community rallied with donations of food, furniture and funds to help the Crisis Ministry continue its vital work.

Food storage activities were temporarily shifted to the charity’s satellite food pantry at 400 Hamilton Ave., the former site of Bethany Presbyterian Church, and later to South Clinton Avenue, as Times Staff Writer Kelly Johnson reported last week.

The administrative operations, formerly at the East Hanover Street building, were shifted to a nearby building. The Crisis Ministry also maintains a food pantry at Nassau Presbyterian Church on Nassau Street in Princeton, which serves about 180 households a month. East Hanover and the South Clinton pantries serve close to 1,100 households combined each month.

In the months after the fire, the Crisis Ministry carried on with very little disruption.

“We have not ever strayed from the mission at hand, which is to serve low-income Mercer County residents as best we can,” spokeswoman Sarah Unger said in an interview with Johnson.

And, as Johnson reported, the Crisis Ministry has nearly finished renovating the fire-swept building. That, also, has been accomplished with the help of individuals, community groups and organizations, companies and corporations throughout that region. The aid took the form of countless volunteer hours, generous funding, material donations and unyielding community support.

Officials anticipate operations could resume at the East Hanover site by September.
In the course of the restoration, workers found striking architectural details that had been covered for years by drywalls and a drop ceiling. The fire served to expose handsome brick walls and ornate woodwork that will remain as part of the renovated space.

The fire also served to expose the deep-seated community allegiance to an organization dedicated to easing the burdens of hunger, homelessness and poverty.

“We’ve turned a really difficult situation into a silver lining for the organization and our clients,” says Fred Van Sickle, chairman of The Crisis Ministry’s board.

It’s a silver lining reflecting the golden rule — and Mercer would be much poorer without it.