North Strand Helping Hand has a new director

North Strand Helping Hand would like to welcome Peter Casamento as our new director. 

Here is what was said over at The Sun News' Opinion Blog:

Peter Casamento, who calls himself “a Jersey boy,” took over the Helping Hand operation in September following the departure of Margaret Owens who took a job with Clemson University. Casamento wants to tweak the food distribution process to make the food pantry one of client choice. This was the case at the pantry of Our Lady Star of the Sea, started by Casamento while he was a pastoral associate at the North Myrtle Beach church. “They came in, then went shopping [and] they left with goods they wanted,” he said.

Casamento is an ordained deacon in the Franciscan order. This followed a 27-year career as a police officer in Bergen County, northern New Jersey, where he retired as a captain. “The Franciscans are really big in outreach. It’s about living the Gospel.” Casamento taught at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York. He also has a master’s degree in administration from Seton Hall University. He recalls he was never out of Jersey except on vacation – and it was a golf vacation that introduced him to the area. “The taxes and weather sold me.” 

You can read the full announcment here over and if you would like to help, we now accept online donations.

As always we are looking for any and all donations, including, canned meats, canned fruit in light syrup, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, dried milk in individual packages, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, clothing, blankets, sheets, towels, pots, and pans.

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