Interfaith Neighbors

Neighbor Spotlight | Bethel AME Church & Pat Cooper

After moving away from her hometown of Neptune to work in other New Jersey cities, such as Camden and Newark, Pat Cooper came back to her community to serve those in need through Bethel AME Church in Asbury Park. Before returning “back home,” Pat gained a wide variety of experience. She was employed at the Department of Labor for over 25 years, then worked for the Employment and Training Commission, and finally, proceeded to open her own business focused on management and consulting.

Pat Cooper with seedlings at Kula Urban Farm.

She began working with Bethel AME Church in 1999 when she returned to the Neptune/Asbury Park area. She served as Chair of the Bethel AME Board from 1999 to around 2013. She now serves as the Director of the Bethel AME Food Pantry. When she first started with the church, she taught soft skills in career preparation and job training classes. Then, Pat wrote a grant that seeded the Bethel AME Food Pantry, allowing them to receive independent donations and connecting them to local food banks to provide food contributions for Bethel AME’s local recipients.

“The relationship with Kula Farm began when they approached us about using part of our property to grow food and proposed some of the yields be donated to our pantry in return,” Pat recounted. “We were not receiving produce from any major food bank at the time, and I thought this could be a great addition to our supply.”

Bethel AME Food Pantry not only began to receive produce from Kula Farm, but they also started to get their youth involved in Kula Farm programs. These provide education and hands-on experience in nutrition, wellness, and farming.

“It’s so important to have access to this fresh, healthy produce to create a well-rounded diet for individuals picking up food from our pantry. I love the fact that it’s also teaching our young people about nutrition, and how they should be treating their bodies” Cooper explained when asked about why this relationship is so valuable. “I’m a firm believer that organizations working together makes for the best service to the community. We are so grateful to be able to have this relationship with Kula Farm,” Cooper continued.

“The community we serve is primarily Haitian, and Kula has

Sampling of produce harvested and donated to the Bethel AME Food Pantry

adapted to their wants and needs by growing produce they request. Our clients seem to love the red spinach, radishes, and dry beans. Many of them have also started eating produce that is new to them and learned how to prepare it, ultimately making their diet more nutritious and well-rounded,” Pat explained. “The community absolutely loves the fresh produce from Kula, and many of them would not have access to it without this relationship.”

Pat went on to describe the impact our programs make in the community, stating, “We are so grateful for Kula Farm and Interfaith Neighbors for taking an active role in the community and making sure members have access to things that are critical to health, like food and housing.”

Pat expressed again how important it is for these community members to have access to this fresh healthy food because of the high cost of food and the lack of transportation to distant markets. She described how, oftentimes, when people start receiving a great resource, like the produce provided by Kula, there is fear in the back of their minds that it will suddenly go away. However, Pat expressed her confidence in Kula and IFN’s abilities, stating, “With everything Kula Farm and Interfaith Neighbors is doing now, and how they’re preparing for the future by enlarging their footprint and impact on the community, you can tell they’re in it for the long haul.”

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