Container of Hope

Spray Foam Magazine – Late Summer 2025 – In April, a nonprofit food pantry in Barnegat Township, New Jersey received help expanding its food storage capacity, thanks to a partnership with Tim Newmeyer, Technical Service Manager of Polyurethane Machinery Corporation.

Starve Poverty is a grassroots organization focused on alleviating poverty and food insecurity in Ocean County, NJ and surrounding areas. They recently began transforming a shipping container into an insulated storage space to meet the growing demand in its community. Starve Poverty was to retrofit the container with electricity, shelving, refrigeration, and insulation — key components to safely store larger quantities of perishable and non-perishable foods.

To complete the project, they needed to find a way to effectively insulate the container. Ron Fraser, CEO of Starve Poverty began calling around searching for options.

In a time of need, Tim Newmeyer answered the call. “I first became aware of Starve Poverty from a former Gusmer colleague, named Tim Shocksnider, who called me asking if I knew anyone who could help his friend and former Pastor, Ron Fraser, foam a storage container. As it turns out, Ron and I attend the same church, but we did not know each other yet,” said Tim.

Tim saw this as an inspiration; the opportunity to put his technical expertise and PMC’s equipment to beneficial use and give back in a way that reinforced his faith.

“I have always had a strong dedication and passion for my work in the spray foam industry so, as I look towards the tail end of my career, I want to give back and pay forward my good fortune in any way I can. My family and work are the main things in my life but, my faith in God is also at the top of the list! Through the Fellowship Outreach at my church, Bayside Chapel in Barnegat, NJ, along with meeting Pastor Ron of Starve Poverty, I never thought twice about doing all I could to help make this project happen,” said Tim. 

With PMC’s enthusiastic support, Tim offered to manage the spray foam insulation portion of the project. Insulation was an essential element to ensure proper temperature regulation and energy efficiency for safe food storage. Using the Premier proportioner and Xtreme gun in PMC’s new demo rig, it took Tim three hours to complete the job. He felt that given his 35 years of experience and his powerful desire to help, that he should spray the job himself with the assistance of Mike Klostreich, Tech Service Representative monitoring the Premier from the rig. Nathaniel Klostreich, Director of Sales, and Ryan Mahon, Sales Manager, assisted with prep and clean-up.

Meeting a Growing Need

Founded in 1995, Starve Poverty is on a mission to “break the chains of poverty” by alleviating daily hardships and offering essential services such as food distribution, home repairs, and volunteer support. Their Food Pantry serves as the heart of their operation, providing nutritious food and fostering a sense of community.

Ron Fraser, CEO of Starve Poverty, shared insight into their work, “Our goals are to reduce poverty and food insecurity and improve living conditions among vulnerable people in under-resourced areas of Ocean County, NJ and beyond.”

As more families turn to the Food Pantry, the organization identified a critical need to expand its food storage capabilities. In 2023, they began planning a new solution, a repurposed shipping container outfitted with electricity, shelving, refrigeration, and insulation.

Steps Forward for Sustainability

The insulation not only helps the container maintain USDA-compliant food safety standards but also supports Starve Poverty’s goal of sustainability. “Reducing our energy consumption through insulation is a requirement,” said Fraser. “We want to be wise stewards of our resources and of the Earth.”

By providing this service at no cost, PMC helped redirect funding that Starve Poverty had earmarked for insulation toward purchasing more food for those in need.

“Every time another organization stands shoulder to shoulder with us, we are encouraged and energized,” Fraser said. “A gift such as this will allow us to use those dollars directly for items that contribute to the well-being of our neighbors.”

Partnerships that Uplift

For Tim Newmeyer and everyone at PMC, this project represents more than a good deed, it is a demonstration of the values they hold as a company: to be dependable, forward-thinking, and committed to being the best they can be. Their team is honored to have played a part in a project that will double the pantry’s storage capacity and reach even more families, veterans, seniors, and individuals in need.

“None of us can solve the problem of poverty alone, but if we partner together, we can make a difference,” Fraser emphasized.

To companies considering how they might give back, Fraser had this to say, “When you give back to a community, you are improving the community for everyone. Your employees will also have a greater sense of pride in their employer because their employer is making a difference.

PMC could not agree more. They extend their deepest thanks to Tim Newmeyer for his leadership and compassion, and to Starve Poverty for the essential work they do every day.

Since completion of this project, Tim continues to volunteer his time with Starve Poverty.

If you or your organization would like to learn more about Starve Poverty and their mission, visit starvepoverty.org.