The Pantry
Then and Now
The Beginning: 1950s
Bernette Genor, a school hygienist, established the Northport-East Northport Food Pantry in the 1950s. She and the school nurses in the District had become aware of families who were unable to put enough food on the table on a regular basis.
Expanding: 1970s
Betty Lockwood, a parishioner at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Northport, brought together a coalition of clergy and lay people interested in meeting a wider variety of needs of families in the area. The Ecumenical Lay Council was born, broadening the the outreach through coordinated efforts among the ELC's membership to collect food, and raise funds for timely purchases of provisions.
Our Work Today
The Ecumenical Lay Council is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and an agency of Long Island Cares, Inc., the Harry Chapin Food Bank headquartered in Hauppauge, NY. The ELC Food Pantry assists a large number of individuals and families in our area on a regular basis. We are open four mornings each week, and clients can "shop" the pantry's shelves, freezers, and refrigerators once each week. Overall, we serve up to 150 families each month (approximately 600 people); most come on a weekly basis. The operation is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers.