“Children bored during the coronavirus pandemic may be spending their summers purchasing a few more video games, or exploring a greater number of parks not too far from their hometowns.
This 11-year-old Jersey girl escaped her boredom by raising money to help feed thousands of Hunterdon County residents in need — all the while perfecting her baking skills.
Since late June of this year, Gabby Dembeski has donated more than 300 pounds of supplies to the Flemington Area Food Pantry. She purchased these items, including non-perishables like pasta and canned foods and hygienic supples like laundry detergent and shampoo, through funds made by selling homemade baked goods including brownies, Rice Krispie treats and her “famous” chocolate chip cookies.
The Delaware Township girl also raised money for supplies through donations from friends and family members, some of whom also directly donated the supplies to her.
‘Honestly, I was just bored in the beginning because of quarantine. And then I just thought of it,’ Gabby said. ‘I’ve donated to the food pantry in the past a lot, and I just like to do it. I like helping people, especially because of the time right now. The first time we came and I donated, the shelves were so empty compared to how they usually were.’
In 2019, the Flemington Area Food Pantry received more than 11,000 visits — its highest number on record. According to Kristin Stockwell, the office and garden manager for the Flemington Area Food Pantry, as of this past July the food pantry has seen a 14% increase in visits, including a 25% increase in visits from seniors and 35% from new clients.
‘It really does make a tremendous impact,’ Stockwell said. ‘With the increase in visits we’ve seen, we could have really been struggling this year. But people like Gabby have been incredible. The amount of donations that we have had has increased as well, so we’ve been able to meet the need.’
According to her mother, Diane, Gabby’s “favorite thing” to do is help others, a joy that she’s pursued through random acts of kindness like cleaning the beach in Asbury Park as the rest of her family tanned, sewing face masks for others at the onset of the epidemic, and inserting thoughtful notes in supplies she’s donated to the Flemington Area Food Pantry in years’ past.”
View the whole story here: https://www.nj.com/hunterdon/2020/08/11-year-old-girl-bakes-treats-uses-funds-to-donate-supplies-to-flemington-area-food-pantry.html