Comfort food for Sandy’s victims compliments of NCS

Last Updated on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 05:51 pm Written by SUZANNE MARINO Tuesday, November 13, 2012 05:31 pm

Slathering up the bread with peanut butter and jelly to help feed victims of Hurricane Sandy are seventh grade students Michael Milhous, Bailey Arena and Amanda Dearborn.

NORTHFIELD—Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches might not be a fancy feast but to those families displaced by Sandy, they were a welcome slice of comfort food. Thursday afternoon more than 600 sandwiches left the Northfield Community School heading north to try and give moms, dads and kids a little sense of home and letting them know that perfect strangers are happy to help wherever they can.

District Superintendent, Janice Fipp said she heard a woman on TV earlier in the week mention she was taking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the folks displaced by the storm on Long Beach Island. Fipp said, “We all want to help and if there is one thing my kids can do, they can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and send them to people who are cold and hungry.” So she contacted TV 40 and connected with Mary Stamelos of Egg Harbor Township who was leading this particular charge to help Jersey neighbors get back on their feet.
Stamelos said Friday, Nov. 9 that she and her friend, Mary Jo Pinter of Galloway wanted to help in some way so they got together and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hopped in their car and drove up to Mystic Island where they knew people were gathered awaiting word when they could return to their homes and who were hurting.
Stamelos said the duo handed out sandwiches to families as they waited to be let back on to the island. “They were cold and hungry and as we handed them sandwiches they were so appreciative. It was just one thing they did not have to think about.” 
According to NCS teacher Kristin Polak, the advisor for the Builders Club, Thursday morning the members volunteered to make sandwiches during their lunch. “All 40 of our members will come through and help with this project,” said Polak. “Our plan is to just keep at it until we run out of supplies.”
John Davis of the Nor-Lin Kiwanis showed up at the NCS with his arms loaded down with additional loaves of bread. That was fine by the students who were happy to pitch in. Bailey Arena said, “We wanted to be able to help victims of the storm. This is something that we can do, it’s easy and we are all happy just to be able to do something that helps our neighbors up north.”