Teaneck Restaurants Holding Food Drive for Local Pantry

The following letter was submitted by Elie Y. Katz:

Corned beef and pastrami will be challenging General Tso to the annual pre-Passover food challenge between Noah's Ark and Chopstix which collects donations for Teaneck's Helping Hands Food Pantry.

"Each year customers of Noah's Ark and Chopstix vie for the biggest donations to help their neighbors, while proving their loyalty to their favorite kosher food source" said Noam Sokolow, owner of Noah's Ark Deli & Shelly's Dairy Restaurant. "Last year's challenge realized over 500 bags of cereal, pancake mix, flour, tuna, ketchup, diapers and toiletries for the Food Pantry, just as supplies were low and they were most in need" stated Elie Y. Katz of Chopstix.  It was a win/win situation for everyone: the Jewish community cleaned their pantries and the Food Pantry benefited!

The challenge began when several Passover preparing customers approached Chopstix with food they were literally throwing out. The Teaneck Helping Hands Food Pantry at 195 West Englewood Avenue, Teaneck which serves hundreds of families in need was the logical and neighborly site this year.  The need is always great but recent years has seen a marked increase in demand and a sharp decrease in donations.  Winters in general and this bitter snowy winter in particular make the situation acute, particularly as the prices of basic foods have risen as clients and those in need find it harder to get out.  The original drive resulted in vans of food being donated and each year since the donations have only increased.

This year's contest runs from March 1, 2013 through March 22, 2012. Donations of unopened, non-refrigerated food, and toiletries will be accepted (and appreciated) at the following locations: Chopstix 172 West Englewood Avenue, Noah's Ark 493 Cedar Lane and Shelly's Dairy Restaurant  482 Cedar Lane-all in Teaneck.

This is a contest where everyone wins! The Teaneck Helping Hands Food Pantry receives desperately needed food, the customers clear their pantries and help others at the same time and the business owners get bragging rights about their patrons.

Thank you,

Elie Y. Katz and Noam Sokolow

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