Ridley Park church's annual pumpkin sale supports food pantry, families in need

With Halloween two days away, thousands of pumpkins are on display outside Christ Church Ridley Park in Delaware County. The church's annual pumpkin sale is a 26-year tradition that raises money for four charitable causes.

Proceeds benefit the food pantry at Ridley Park United Methodist Church, the Ridley School District, the Kara Barnard Youth Literacy Fund and the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, where the pumpkins are grown.

The Rev. Michael Ruk, a priest at Christ Church, said the sale is one way the church connects with people beyond its congregation.

"The church's purpose is to go outside of its walls," Ruk said, "and this is a simple way of people coming to us, building community and sharing what we have."

The food pantry at Ridley Park United Methodist Church serves up to 220 families a month. The donations help the pantry purchase items such as milk, eggs and butter, which can be difficult to obtain from food suppliers. 

"That proceeds really help us at holiday time buy the food necessary for the holiday meals for our constituents," Benjamin Hill, the pantry's director, said.

With the holidays approaching and grocery prices high, Hill said more families are feeling the squeeze.

"Since I've been here for the last five years, the need has been increasing and just in the last three months, we're up 33%," Hill said.

For Charles Haughey of Ridley Park, the pantry has been an important source of support. Haughey recently had a leg amputated and said he and his wife face financial challenges. He said he and his wife are both out of work.

"We've been struggling real bad and this [food pantry] is a major, major help to us," Haughey said.

Haughey has now learned that a tradition his family has long enjoyed — going to Christ Church's pumpkin patch — helps support the pantry he relies on.

"It's funny because my family and I, we've been getting pumpkins there for years," he said. "I didn't know that they actually provided money toward these kinds of programs. That's phenomenal, that just kind of warms your heart."

For families picking out pumpkins, the opportunity to support others adds another meaning to the fall tradition.

"I'm glad to be helping out," 10-year-old Sierra Johnson from Rutledge said.

Her mother Erin Johnson said she likes to make purchases that benefit others.

"I try to create win-wins whenever I buy things," Johnson said.

After 26 years, the pumpkin sale continues to bring the community together while supporting local programs and families.