SFP Volunteer Update – January, 2023

“"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve…You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

-       Martin Luther King, Jr.

Greetings, everyone. I hope 2023 has started off well for each of you! I’d like to start this update with highlights from last year and welcome you to view our short video recap.

In 2022:

-       Our full choice client Pantry officially opened our doors in January!

-       We provided more than 266,000 meals to 29,566 individuals.

-       We averaged 718 families visiting us each month.

-       Volunteers donated 4,200 hours over the year with an average of 120 volunteers each month.

-       Volunteers picked up over 9,900 pounds of donated bread 56 times from Nanuet.

-       Volunteers unloaded 286,958 pounds of food purchased from the NE Regional Food Bank much of which was transported by Clancy Relocation.

-       We spent over $26,000 on milk and eggs to give to our families (note, when available and we have room in our truck, we purchase from the Food Bank).

-       In Kind food donations weighed in over 35,000 pounds in addition to non-food items such as feminine products, toiletries, diapers which were also generously donated and distributed to our families.

-       Volunteers picked up nearly 8,000 pounds of additional food from the RCAH / TOUCH Get Fresh Program and gladly accepted 7,000 pounds from their food recovery program.

-       We continued our School Snack Program for all 6 elementary schools (including George F Baker High School) giving out nearly 15,000 healthy, individually packed snacks in 2022.

-       We welcomed multiple third party support groups for our families during our 2022 openings including NY Project Hope, Rockland County Department of Health (vaccine clinics), Fidelis Health, Office of the Aging, Mental Health Association of Westchester and Catholic Charities (SNAP).

-       We hired 2 amazing Pantry Coordinators who managed multiple openings each month and helped with many of the tasks involved to keep the Pantry running.

While we cannot predict how 2023 will go, estimations are that families will continue to struggle, especially with the rising costs of food. We are prepared to continue serving those who come to us for food, guidance and a safe place to visit with the support of our dedicated volunteers and financial supporters!

Volunteer opportunities

Please click here to view our sign-ups for February. Thank you very much for the time you choose to give. It means a lot to us, and even more so to our client families.

Fundraising

We are seeking fundraising opportunities, ideas and help. If you have an idea or want to help, please let Susan or I know. As many of you are aware, Amazon is cancelling their Smile program which is a disappointment, but we are grateful for the donations we received.

Volunteers go above and beyond

I would like to give a shout out this month to our dedicated “In Pantry” volunteers. This role is very interactive with our clients…answering questions, helping to select items and ensuring everyone is moving safely through the Pantry. We thank you for your kindness and patience while our families take their time to select items. We love to provide as many options as possible, but sometimes that does require more time to select. There are quite a few volunteers who choose this role consistently including Lisa, Mary Lou, Beth, Omahyra, Jen, John, Maureen, Sandra, Marc, Lida, Penny, Julia, Sue and Dan. Apologies if I missed listing you here, your dedication is appreciated!

Historical View of Household & Client Changes by Year

In closing, thank you for your support of the Pantry. Your kindness will forever be in our hearts.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Respectfully yours,

Joyce