|
Philipstown Food Pantry Releases 2007 Annual Report
By Jackie Sammon, Coordinator
 | | On December 22, 2007, volunteers for the Philipstown Food Pantry gathered at the First Presbyterian Church to hand out Christmas foods, homemade cookies, coats and toys to 24 local families. Pictured, left to right: Linda Dearborn, Helen Dobbins, Penny Seekircher, and Wendy Ordway. |
|
The Philipstown Food Pantry was begun nearly 20 years ago by the Philipstown Clergy Association as a joint mission project of all of the churches in Philipstown. The Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church in Cold Spring agreed to organize and operate the Food Pantry, and opened it to residents in need on Saturdays from 9-10am. There are now 39 families registered at the Food Pantry, which includes 9 new families in 2007; over 2,000 bags of groceries were given out over the past year. There are those who come regularly every week, and others who've come for a short period of time when circumstances were difficult, as could happen to any of us.
With continued rising food, energy and housing costs, families are feeling increasingly strapped, and we expect 2008 to be even more challenging.
The Philipstown Food Pantry also supports the Lunchtime Feeding Program in Peekskill, a Soup Kitchen sponsored by the Peekskill Area Pastors Association. This program is run out of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and First Presbyterian prepares hot lunches for approximately 75-80 people twice a month under the direction of Ron Sopyla.
The Philipstown Food Pantry depends on the generosity of local residents, churches and organizations to maintain adequate food supplies for the families who come.
In December, 2006, a Hunger Project was established in Putnam County with the assistance of State Senator Vincent Leibell and Michael Piazza, Commissioner, Dept. of Social Services, in order that the County Food Pantries could work together to help coordinate food drives and share information and ideas. It was agreed to do three County-wide food drives per year: February, May and September. We have been assisted in our efforts by the Cold Spring Lions Club, and the Knights of Columbus.
Mayor Anthony Philips, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, was instrumental in obtaining a large donation of delightful toys for the Food Pantry at Christmastime through his work with the Marine Corps "Toys for Tots" Program and was assisted in his efforts by Dan Dillon of the Knights of Columbus.
Under an innovative Vension Donation Program begun in 2003 and currently under the supervision of the Garrison Fish and Game Club, and with the assistance of Chris Golde, the Food Pantry was able to give out more than 125 lbs. of venison over the past year. The program has been especially well received by those with medical conditions that preclude them from eating beef or those on special diets. Others just simply enjoy eating it!
The Salvation Army of Greater New York again this year sponsored the Food Pantry's membership in the Regional Food Bank, and, through the efforts of Jeff Toland and Ray Ruckel, close to 2,000 pounds of food was delivered to the Food Pantry in 2007.
Foodtown in Cold Spring has generously provided the Philipstown Food Pantry with turkeys, roasting chickens and hams for the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter holidays. Additionally, many shoppers generously donated their "free" turkeys and hams.
Additionally, the Food Pantry is a participant under the "Community Rewards Program" with Foodtown and S&H Greenpoints. Under this program, Foodtown shoppers can donate their "points" to the Food Pantry. This is how it works: Just tell the cashier that you want your points to go to the Philipstown Food Pantry. Every time you donate your points to the Food Pantry, 500 S&H Greenpoints will be donated. You may ask the cashier to scan the card as many times as you like. Every time your card is scanned, another 500 Greenpoints will be donated. In 2007, more than 2,000,000 points were donated to the Food Pantry by Foodtown shoppers which resulted in a cash donation to the Food Pantry of $1,878!
Also generously contributing to our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals this year was the Philipstown Farm Market (on Rt. 9), which provided all types of vegetables and fruits for our families.
At Christmastime, Sharon and Kendra Zeien, Maia Gallagher, and Rachel Ritacco baked and artfully decorated delicious cookies for us.
Another local business, Grey Printing, contributed to the Food Pantry through cash donations from customers, and also helped with Foodtown food drives.
Danielle Bassignani, a Girl Scout working on her Gold Star Award, helped us by undertaking a "Hunger Project", and as part of her project organized a "Give a Treat" collection for the Food Pantry at the annual halloween parade- a unique idea that we hope might be repeated at future parades!
In December, 25 graduates of the Cold Spring Junior Firefighter Academy attended a special Christmas party at the firehouse- and they also came for a good cause: the junior firefighters brought more than 100 cans of food for the Food Pantry!
Very successful food drives were held in 2007 by local AARP Chapter 4709, the Cold Spring Postal Workers, Brookside Mobile Home Park residents, local resident Ray Fitzgerald on Superbowl Sunday, the Haldane NYSUT, the Hudson Highland Girl Scouts, and the Youth Ministry Program at Our Lady of Loretto Parish which led the "Souper Bowl of Caring" and collected $900 in cash plus canned goods and toiletries.
Mike Tully and his team of volunteers continue to pick up day-old bakery goods and produce from Stop 'n Shop in Peekskill: Dan Dillon, Mike Bell, Paul Lansdale, Jeff Toland, Peter and Andrea Bach, Claire Ruckel, Jerry Austin, Mike Musso, and Giom Grech. A portion of these pickups go directly to the Food Pantry on Saturday mornings and the remainder are donated to local charities.
The local churches gave invaluable help and support in 2007: the volunteers at First Presbyterian Church, which manages the Philipstown Food Pantry; Our Lady of Loretto Parish and the Knights of Columbus who made monthly food donations; the local Methodist Churches who generously donated winter coats; and other churches made generous financial and food donations: The Episcopal Churches, Cold Spring Baptist Church, and Philipstown Reform Synagogue.
If you are an individual, business, organization or church that would like to organize a food collection drive for the Philipstown Food Pantry, or if you would like to volunteer, please contact us through the First Presbyterian Church at 265- 3220, or call Jackie Sammon, Coordinator of the Food Pantry, at 265-6031. We will be happy to work with you and provide you with a copy of our latest Food Pantry Shopping List.
| Click ads below
for larger version
|
)