BRADLEY BEACH — The Bradley Food Pantry announced on Aug. 12 that it will be relocating to a new address at 101 Third Ave., in Neptune City, according to a press release.
The new space will open on Monday, Aug. 19, and will operate five mornings a week, from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday; and from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday nights.
As with the previous location, the pantry will provide patrons with a grocery shopping experience, enabling them to choose the food and personal items they and their families need.
After moving from its founding location at St. James Episcopal Church on Fourth Avenue to Main Street, the pantry’s next move to Neptune City marks the organization’s first move out of Bradley Beach in its over 40-year history.
Linda Curtiss, executive director of the Bradley Food Pantry, told The Coast Star, “I’m really sad to be leaving Bradley Beach. We have been there 42 years. We know everybody we need to know to get anything accomplished. I will say Neptune City has been very welcoming. They are very happy to have us come into the borough, so we think it’s going to be a really good partnership.”
Before the move from St. James, the pantry averaged between 80 to 85 families a day. At the temporary location on Main Street, it served an average of 60 to 65 families a day. According to Curtiss, the pantry is expecting to see similar numbers.
While the move brings the pantry out of the borough, the new location is just over one mile from the previous temporary location at 1115 Main St. in Bradley Beach. The new location neighbors the Neptune Community Center, which hosts The Blessing Box Shed in the rear of the property. The Box contains non-perishable goods free of charge for those in need.
Curtiss told The Coast Star, “We are very happy that we’re close enough to our old site that we don’t think we will be disadvantaging many people. We were worried if we had to move too far, more than two or three miles away, that people who walked or rode bikes would be disadvantaged. We think this is close enough that we won’t be disadvantageous to anyone, so we’re very happy about that.”
Additionally, the new location is just across the street from the Stop & Shop supermarket, which has been a partner to the organization for over 10 years, according to Curtiss.
Curtiss expressed appreciation for the temporary space on Main Street where the pantry had been operating since June, as well as appreciation for all of those who worked together to identify and move into the new Neptune City location.
Curtiss said, “We were able to open a temporary space very quickly due to our incredible volunteers and local businesses – Mayor Larry Fox, Bradley Car Wash, Bradley Bowl, Your Flooring Center, Stewart’s Hardware, Johnson’s Restaurant Equipment and Beast – and we are overjoyed once again to have overflowing support to open this new location. The community effort has been tremendous. We are thankful for our volunteers and patrons for their understanding and belief in the pantry during this time of transition. We can’t wait to see you at our new space.”
Curtiss additionally thanked Rock Asset Management, who facilitated the lease for the pantry’s new location.
The pantry asks those who come for assistance to arrive at 9 a.m., as lining up outside the building is not permitted. The new location will provide the opportunity for patrons to sit inside.
The Bradley Food Pantry will be up and running again on Aug. 19, just a few miles from the original location the organization operated out of for over 40 years. After 12 months, Curtiss is happy that the pantry will be back on schedule assisting those in need five days a week.
Curtiss told The Coast Star, “It took us 12 months to find a place, it’s astonishing to me. We looked at over 120 locations, it just astonishes me at how long it took but we ended up with a place that we think is pretty perfect so we’re very happy.”
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