Images at the Greater Goods food pantry.
By Jill Greenfield Feldman
If you have been through the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia recently or have seen images on YouTube or in the papers, you know that it is not a pretty sight. There are often people lying on the ground, sometimes in the street, most of them extremely skinny, some standing up slumped over like they are sleeping on their feet. The people of Kensington have faced more than their fair share of challenges, although there are many dedicated to helping and lifting up those who are there.
One of those helpers is Margaux Murphy, who has centered her life around helping anyone (and everyone) she can. Two years ago, Margaux opened Greater Goods, a food pantry where people can get free groceries and other necessities for their families. Run by the hunger relief nonprofit Sunday Love Project (that Margaux started in 2015), Greater Goods is unlike many food pantries in the area. The customers can shop like they do in a grocery store, choosing their own items, including fresh produce, meats, packaged goods, and sometimes milk and eggs, though these are not always available. All customers are treated with respect and humanity as they walk around the store while an employee or volunteer helps them find what they want and counts their points. The points limit how much an individual can take home each visit. Shoppers may come once a week (Monday to Thursday) and only need to show an I.D. which is kept on file so that attendance can be tracked. Greater Goods currently serves about 350-450 individual customers a week with more new shoppers showing up every day.
The customers come from all over Kensington and beyond. The staff’s favorite part of the day is when customers bring children who have their own aisle, refrigerator, and bookshelves. Nutritious food makes up a large percentage of the offerings (both in the children’s section and the adult section) and there are always fresh fruit and vegetables. It is due to food donors like Philabundance, Small Things Philly, Sharing Excess, and many individual and corporate supporters that the shelves and refrigerators remain stocked. The customers appreciate that they may choose their own groceries and that there are usually a lot of options.
Sunday Love has also benefited from Music For Food Philadelphia, a national organization that encourages musicians to donate their time to perform a concert where the cost of the tickets goes directly to Sunday Love. The next concert will be held November 18 at 6:30 pm in Philadelphia (for more information, please check the Sunday Love website or social media!).
Other ways that Sunday Love Project/Greater Goods engages in the community is by offering weekly crochet classes for all ages and frequent Saturday morning events such as clothing or school supply giveaways, movies, craft projects, or other activities. And on a personal level, Margaux is always trying to help people who are working to overcome addiction, homelessness, or any other bad situation in which they find themselves by aiding them with furniture, knowledge, jobs, or whatever support she can give. Reaching out to her community of friends and acquaintances on social media, Margaux seems to inspire others and motivate them to want to give and to help others.
I learned about Sunday Love Project through an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer in March 2021, and reached out to Margaux to see how I could help and become involved. I went to meet her and volunteer (at the church where they were serving hot meals and clothes at that time), and we have been good friends ever since. I helped Sunday Love get a grant to open Greater Goods where I have spent many hours volunteering and have since become a member of the board. I am grateful that I get a chance to be involved with this wonderful organization.
You can learn more about Greater Goods and Sunday Love Project on their website. There is information about shopping or about volunteering, donating, or purchasing items from their Amazon wish list!
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