Our Sustainability Efforts

Nourishing Our Neighbors,
Cultivating Change

EVERY BITE COUNTS

We strive to be responsible stewards of the environment, focused on sustainability and reducing waste through internal efforts and strategic alliances.

Food Recovery & Redistribution Efforts

Also known as “food rescue,” food recovery involves taking unmarketable but still consumable food and redistributing it to those in need. The USDA estimates that between 30-40 percent of the food supply in the US is wasted each year. In 2010, food waste was estimated to be 133 billion pounds ($161 billion) worth of wholesome food that could have helped feed families.

As the lead agency for Rockland Community Against Hunger, TOUCH launched its Food Recovery Program in 2018. In 2024 alone, the program coordinated the recovery of 1.3 million pounds of food—food that went directly to the most vulnerable members of our community instead of ending up in landfills. This recovered food was distributed to over 40 food pantries and meal programs throughout the county.

The Community Food Pantry is deeply grateful for this partnership. Every Tuesday, a dedicated team of volunteers, led by Pantry Coordinator Terry Deasy, sorts through deliveries of recovered food, removes anything inedible, and rinses and repackages what is fit for distribution. By ensuring food is presented in a more appealing way, they help restore dignity while providing nutritious meals to those in need.

2024 Year in Review

73,087

Pounds of Food Rescued

Interested in volunteering for this effort?

Local Producers & Eco Advocates
We’re Proud to Call Friends

Suffern DPW

At The Community Food Pantry, we’re committed not only to feeding our neighbors but also to caring for our environment. Each month, we purchase over 26,000 pounds of food to support families in need—a vital effort that also generates a significant amount of packaging waste.

To responsibly manage this, we partner with the Suffern Department of Public Works (DPW), which makes weekly visits to collect and recycle the large volume of cardboard produced during food distribution. Thanks to this collaboration, all packaging materials—particularly the cardboard from food bank deliveries—are properly recycled, reducing our environmental footprint and supporting a cleaner, greener community.

Suffern Middle School

Green Team

Created in 2010 and made up of about 50 students from grades 6-8, the Green Team is dedicated to making their school, our community, and our planet a cleaner and better place. Team responsibilities and initiatives include:

  • Recycling (approx 10,000 bottles and cans per month)

  • Composting (approx 30 – 50 pounds of food scraps are collected at school every month)

  • Park Clean-ups

  • Team hikes and trips, and special events

  • Gardening (using compost collected)

  • Food donation (during harvest season, the team donates an average of 60 pounds of produce grown in their garden to local food pantries)

The Pantry Bag Project

The Pantry Bag Project is a youth-led initiative committed to reducing waste and increasing access by collecting and redistributing reusable bags to families served by the Community Food Pantry and other local pantries. The project operates on the belief that something as simple as a bag can make a meaningful difference, promoting sustainability and ensuring every neighbor can carry home their food with care. Through this work, the Pantry Bag Project is transforming small actions into lasting impact, one bag at a time.

For more information, contact thepantrybagproject@gmail.com.

Good Samaritan Hospital

Garden of Hope

The Garden of Hope at Good Samaritan Hospital is a 32' x 40' growing space, which is tended to and maintained through the generous donation of time and effort of volunteers.

The garden features a fully-irrigated planting system, as well as a wheel-chair accessible planting bed and vertical growing walls. The garden is located adjacent to the Sheehan Building near the employee parking lot. In addition to providing fresh produce to local food pantries, the space is host to ongoing horticultural therapy, wellness and educational programming.

Local Gardeners

Throughout the planting and growing season, many generous families nurture their backyard gardens and share their surplus harvest with our food pantry.

Every donation, big or small, makes a meaningful difference. Our clients deeply appreciate the fresh, healthy, and delicious homegrown vegetables that brighten their meals and nourish their families.