On June 25, 2025, the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners presented a proclamation recognizing the Sparta Community Food Pantry on its 40th anniversary.

The proclamation noted that the pantry has grown to serve more than 4,000 people each month and works with dozens of partner organizations. The board’s action formally honored the pantry’s volunteers and partners and encouraged residents to support the pantry’s work in Sussex County.

Commissioner Jack DeGruitt read the proclamation on behalf of the board. The proclamation text named Chris Carney, commissioner director; Joe Space, deputy commissioner; Jack DeGruitt; William Hayden; and Allen Henderson as the county commissioners making the recognition.

Valerie Macchio, a representative of the Sparta Community Food Pantry, described how the organization began in a closet at the First Presbyterian Church and has since moved to a facility at 99 Demarest Road. “We are the largest food pantry now in Sussex County,” Macchio said. She told commissioners the pantry serves people who are homeless, homebound, disabled, displaced, students, seniors, veterans, working poor and the chronically ill, and that its volunteers coordinate with about 40 to 50 nonprofits.

Macchio described targeted outreach programs the pantry runs with local partners. “Our recent effort is what we call go bags, where we work with the local police and we give the local police about 6 bags of food,” she said, adding that each go bag provides roughly two days of food and is intended to be used by first responders at scenes of trauma, fires or domestic-violence escapes.

The pantry also partners with Atlantic Health System to assist recently discharged patients who lack food or household supplies. Macchio described ongoing casework, including delivering food to people who are living in their cars or who need weekly or bimonthly deliveries.

The board presented the proclamation and invited Macchio forward to accept it and speak. There was no formal vote recorded on the proclamation beyond the presentation and reading.