SJM_MenOfTheYear_1120final_Reg3 . qxp_SJM Feature 11 / 13 / 20 3 : 27 PM Page 2 MAN OF THE YEAR Barney CORRIGAN his past March , Corrigan and his family moved into their dream home in Westville . One week later , T the coronavirus pandemic brought the country to a halt and all jobs that this catering chef had lined up were canceled . Without a job , Corrigan had some extra time on his hands and had already wit - nessed food insecurity issues in his com - munity . He put a small cabinet on his front lawn and filled it with some canned goods for neighbors to take , no questions asked . Within weeks , donations started pouring in from all over and Corrigan needed his garage to store it all . Beginning in April , he transformed his garage into a makeshift food pantry open to the public bi - weekly . Initially eight people came through , growing to 50 then ap - this newfound passion . “ Never in a million given a $ 55,000 mobile food pantry that proximately 250 every other week . years did I ever think that the little pantry will be used to visit senior housing and Corrigan’s efforts gained national at - I built and homeless shelters to supply them with placed out front would turn tention , from CNN and local radio and everyday items that they would otherwise into such a massive operation , ” he says . “ I TV news outlets , to The Drew Barrymore not be able to afford . can truly say that this has all changed my Show , where he was presented with a Barney’s Place Food Pantry is now a life and showed me what my purpose here check for $ 10,000 from Conagra Foods . nonprofit organization awaiting 501 ( c ) 3 is . I have seen firsthand the damage COVID Corrigan will also appear on an upcoming status . Corrigan credits his wife , whose has caused families across the country episode of the Facebook series Returning job security has allowed him to pursue and the need for pantries like this . ” the Favor with Mike Rowe in which he is ABRAMS Larry moved it into a warehouse in 2019 , and here’s no denying the impact that access BookSmiles collection bins — recognized to books has on a child’s life . A Navy T by their colorful and creative designs — veteran and high school English teacher are stationed across the area , from Cherry in Lindenwold , Abrams is using literacy to Hill to the Main Line , contributing to the bridge the book desert gaps in New Jersey 20,000 to 25,000 and Philadelphia — which have only be - books distributed per come harsher as a result of the COVID - 19 month . All told , the organization has do - pandemic . Four years ago a simple call on nated a total of 400,000 books to educators social media asking for gently used children’s and nonprofits working in underserved books led to the creation of a network of communities . Abrams says , “ The ideas of big - hearted teachers and social workers equity and every child having a fair shot for what would become a nonprofit known to become successful are very important as BookSmiles . Before long , the garage - to me . Books in the house can change and based operation outgrew the space and improve lives in so many ways . ” SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 8 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 35