Hunger Project – 2011

The Hunger Project is a coalition of local workers and volunteers from Community Gardens and Farms, Gleaners, Processors, Storage Facilities, Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens working together to help make the connections that will feed more people in our communities. Farmers are generously offering to donate fresh produce but need help getting it to those in need. UlsterCorps is responsible for building a corps of volunteers to assist in growing, gleaning, processing and transporting food from local farms to local food pantries and soup kitchens. We work in collaboration with Mohonk Consultations, Family of Woodstock, Woodcrest Community, The Queens Galley, Cornell Cooperative Extension, CRREO at SUNY New Paltz, RVGA, Phillies Bridge Farm and other local farms and food pantries.

In the last three years UlsterCorps has recruited and organized volunteers to glean and distribute over 25,000 pounds of produce, 840 quarts of fruit, and 80 gallons of cider to local pantries and soup kitchens throughout the county. In 2011 we collaborated with students from the Ulster County BOCES New Visions Health Career Explorations to develop a comprehensive “blueprint” that aids agencies and county government in using existing resources effectively to make nutritious food more accessible to those in need.

2011 Gleanings:
Tuesday June 14th, 11am-1pm – Strawberries, Tillson
(25 quarts to The Queens Galley Soup Kitchen, People’s Place, Jewish Family Services, UC Community Action, and Family of New Paltz)
Thursday June 16th, 8-9am – Strawberries, Tillson
(4 quarts to Family of New Paltz)
Friday June 17th, 2-4pm – Strawberries, Tillson
(20 quarts to The Queens Galley Soup Kitchen)
Monday June 20th, 9-11am – Strawberries, Tillson
(27 quarts to The Queens Galley Soup Kitchen, People’s Place, and Family of New Paltz)
Monday June 27th, 9-11am – Strawberries, Tillson
(12 quarts to Caring Hands Soup Kitchen)
Wednesday July 27th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
50lbs corn, 35lbs kale, 5lbs parsley, 35lbs beans, 5lbs beets delivered Family of New Paltz, Queens Galley Soup Kitchen, and People’s Place Food Pantry)
Wednesday August 3rd, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
35lbs of beans, 80 head of Lettuce, 30lbs of Kale, 8lbs of Peaches, 10lb of Basil & 2 bushels of Corn delivered Caring Hands and Queens Galley Soup Kitchens)
Wednesday August 10th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
100lbs of Corn, 30lbs of Kale, 10lbs of peaches, 2lbs of Parsley delivered Family of New Paltz)
Wednesday August 17th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
100lbs corn, 50lbs kale, 5lbs beans, 5lbs peppers, 7lbs basil delivered Family of New Paltz and Queens Galley Soup Kitchen)
Wednesday August 24th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
100lbs corn, 100lbs cabbage, 10lbs kale, 5lbs basil, 2lbs cilantro, 10lbs lettuce, 5lbs beans, 7lbs edamame, 10lbs chard delivered Family of New Paltz who distributed to additional local pantries & soup kitchens)
Wednesday September 14th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
20lbs tomatoes, 40lbs tomatillos, 15lbs beans, 10lbs basil, 5lbs dill, 5lbs cilantro to Queens Galley Soup Kitchen
Wednesday September 28th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
10 lbs of beans and 10 lbs of kale delivered Family of New Paltz who distributed to additional local pantries & soup kitchens
Wednesday October 5th, 9-11am – Phillies Bridge Farm, New Paltz
8 lbs of beans and 12 lbs of tomatillos delivered Family of New Paltz who distributed to additional local pantries & soup kitchens
Sunday October 23rd – Little Dog Orchard
Volunteers needed to help deliver apples, cider & pomace picked and pressed by SUNY New Paltz Students as part of Make a Difference Day to local soup kitchens, food pantries, and animal sanctuaries. More info.

View photos from past gleanings on Facebook!

To help, contact 845-481-0331 or volunteer@ulstercorps.org

Additional opportunities:
– Caring Hands Soup Kitchen (Kingston) seeks donation picker-upper Wednesdays. More info or call 331-7188.
– Healthy Kingston for Kids Projects Seeks Garden Committee Volunteers. More info or call 340-3990, ext. 334.
– Family of New Paltz seeks volunteers to coordinate a food drive. More info.
– “Plant A Row for the Hungry” seeks vegetable gardeners. More info or call 340-3990.
– The Queens Galley soup kitchen is in need of a volunteer-or two that can pick up a regular donation in Kingston and deliver it to the galley. More info.
– if you can help please call 481-0331.

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Keep in Touch!
Want to be notified about upcoming gleanings
and other opportunities to help end hunger in our community?
– Sign up for Hunger in the Hudson Valley – Action Alerts
email notifications & calls for volunteer assistance getting food from local farms to people in need.

– Post your ideas, suggestions & volunteer needs
in the comments below, or join our discussion on Facebook.

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Related Initiatives & volunteer opportunities

Plant a Row for the Hungry
This program asks vegetable gardeners to devote an extra row in their gardens, or bring their excess produce to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County (CCEUC), located at 10 Westbrook Lane, in Kingston, Family of New Paltz or Caring Hands Soup Kitchen. More info. 340-3478. (DIRT).

Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work and Play (CHP) Inititiative
The CHP initiative is structured to effectuate policy, environmental and systems changes designed to improve the health and fitness of Ulster County residents by enhancing access and implementing preventive health measures in local neighborhoods and communities, such as:
– Developing and launching community initiatives to get residents to walk and bike more within safe streetscape environments;
– Supporting the proliferation of community gardens;
– Making it easier for residents to use parks via improved signage and online resources;
– Increasing healthy snacking and physical activity and decreasing screen time in for youth in day and after school care centers;
– Working with restaurants and eateries to step-up efforts in posting nutrition information;
– Launching mobile farmers markets to reach communities with less access to fresh produce;
– Launching a county-wide media campaign focused on healthier food choices and portion sizes on restaurant menus, including greater access to nutritional information;
– Working with the media to educate residents about obesity and Type 2 diabetes prevention; and
– Engaging county and community leadership to actively participate in and advocate for the project.
The initial target areas for this initiative are the communities of Ellenville, Phoenicia and the City of Kingston and successful practices are expected to be rolled out to other municipalities throughout Ulster County in successive years. The Co-lead agencies for this initiate are Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County and the Ulster County Department of Health. More info.

Healthy Kingston for Kids Projects Seeks Garden Committee Volunteers
The Community and School Garden Committee of the Healthy Kingston for Kids Project seeks volunteers interested in reversing the obesity epidemic impacting Kingston’s youth. Volunteers will serve on the steering committee, which is at work on specific goals aimed at increasing the number of school and community gardens in Kingston as well as working to expand access to healthy and fresh foods. More info.

Kingston Land Trust / City Gardens / South Pine Street City Farm / The Dig Kids
Visit the Kingston City Gardens GOOGLE MAP to locate a garden project near you.
The South Pine Street City Farm is dedicated to serving as a model of urban agriculture for the city of Kingston and beyond. This small- scale market garden will show that agriculture can thrive in an urban environment while also providing important educational components to encourage other farm projects throughout urban areas. The farm and its growers will work with individuals and organizations in the community to achieve a farm and food based network. South Pine Street City Farm is a program of The Queens Galley in partnership with the Kingston Land Trust and Binnewater Ice Company. For more information, contact Jesica Clark at jesicaclark21@gmail.com call 845/380-9183 or visit their website www.southpinestreetcityfarm.blogspot.com
“The Dig Kids: An Urban Farming Program” for Youth will launch this year in the city of Kingston. More info.

Support local farms – join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or shop at local farmers markets. If you are a member of a CSA, offer to transport leftover produce to your local food pantry or soup kitchen. If you have the resources, consider donating a partial share in a CSA to a family in need.

If you have a commercial kitchen, organize/donate a day to help process food so that it can be distributed year-round. If you have a freezer, a donation of storage space would also be greatly appreciated.

From the Ground Up
Rondout Valley’s From the Ground Up was established in 2008 with a sustainable garden at the Marbletown Elementary School. In the past 3 1/2 years, this program has expanded to a district- wide farm to school effort to increase access to healthier, fresh local food in the schools while enhancing environmental and agricultural education for the district’s student population. Farm to school is an integrated approach to education that works in the cafeteria, classroom, and community. In 2011, From the Ground Up partnered with the Rondout Valley Growers Association (RVGA). This collaboration’s overarching goal is to get 30% local food into the Rondout Valley district cafeterias within the next three to five years. Volunteer garden caretakers needed to Adopt-a-Week throughout the summer; also web, computer and press support. Contact Nicci at Nicci Cagan or call 845-687-4124. More info.

Rondout Valley Growers Association
Farms to Food Pantries Projects & Community Gleaning Days
August, September & October. Volunteers will work in the fields harvesting seconds and other left over produce, we will also have opportunities for people to work in a processing kitchen to prepare food to give to the soup kitchens and food pantries in the area. Volunteers will also be able to take home some produce. info@rondoutvalleygrowers.org or 687-0051.
Read more about the Fall Field Gleaning for the Hungry program developed by the Ulster County Environmental Management Commission and the RVGA over the past several years
http://rvgainternship2009.blogspot.com/2009/08/farm-farm-food-donations-to-local-food.html

Phillies Bridge Farm Project Farm to Families Program
The Farm to Families Program provides fresh food and a farm experience to low-income families in Ulster County. In partnership with local agencies, Phillies Bridge Farm Project distributes CSA (community supported agriculture) shares to low-income families, and also hosts a farm visit and cooking demonstrations for participants of the program. 256-9108.

Volunteer at a local food pantry or soup kitchen – help them extend their hours, transport more fresh food, prepare additional meals. All need more volunteers to keep up with significantly increased demand.

Become a Volunteer Master Gardener!
Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who provide the public with gardening programs and activities that convey horticulture research and experience. Volunteers are selected and trained in all aspects of horticulture from taxonomy and plant pathology to organic gardening. Each Master Gardener must complete an initial 100 hours of research based instruction from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County and will continue to be exposed to the latest developments through a variety of educational training methods and state of the art gardening techniques. Interviews will take place in July and August. Training will begin in September at the CCEUC Education Center in Kingston. Contact Dona at 340-3990.

On Locally Grown, Fresh Food Tips
from Healthcare Communication Project


Resource Guide to Healthy Living in Ulster County

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers & generous farmers who helped out with
Previous gleanings in 2010 and 2009!!