From June 21 to July 5th, School Districts, Businesses, Civic Organizations, and Local Supermarkets are asked to run food drives to benefit all Ulster County Food Pantries and Feeding Programs.
“In the last 18 months, the demand at local food pantries has increased by 25%,†says Michael Berg, Executive Director of Family of Woodstock. He continues, “Not only are the numbers of people seeking assistance increasing, the demographic of those asking for help has changed. Now we’re seeing working people who can’t make ends meet. They’re forced to decide between buying medicine for their children, putting food on the table, and paying rent or mortgage.†The Coalition has chosen this time frame to assist those families who traditionally rely on school meal programs for their children, which are not available during the summer months. “When we celebrate our freedoms on July 4th, we should also make sure that all can celebrate Freedom From Hunger in our county,†says Berg.
You can help by coordinating a food drive at your workplace, place of worship, or your neighborhood. Please collect non-perishable food items such as pasta, dry milk, cereal, and canned goods (please NO glass), between June 21-July 5.
Volunteers are needed to help with transporting donations from collection sites, boxing and sorting the food donations, and delivering to the pantries. Please contact UlsterCorps at 481-0331 or email nancy@ulstercorps.org to sign up. Financial contributions are gratefully accepted and will be used to purchase healthy food. Please make checks payable to Mid-Hudson Coalition to End Hunger c/o UWUC and return to the United Way of Ulster County, 450 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401.
Please contact Su Marcy, United Way of Ulster County, 845-331-4199, x2 by June 18th to list your collection site and dates for your food drive. Volunteers from the Mid-Hudson Coalition to End Hunger will coordinate with you to arrange pick up and delivery to your local pantry.
# # #
Mid-Hudson Coalition to End Hunger
C/o United Way of Ulster County, 450 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401
