MONTGOMERY, N.Y.—The Regional Food Bank (RFB) will nearly double its Thanksgiving meal distribution in the Hudson Valley.
The organization announced plans for the Thanksgiving distribution on Oct. 23 in Montgomery at its main distribution center in the Hudson Valley, with support from community agencies, food industry partners, and volunteer organizations.
Olivia Sobiech, vice president of Green Valley Onion Co. in New Hampton, said the company is proud to work with the RFB and will contribute a tractor-trailer full of onions. The company has donated more than 2 million pounds of onions to the RFB in the past 10 years.
“As farmers, we understand that sometimes, despite how hard you work and how carefully you plan, circumstances beyond your control can change everything,” Sobiech said. “I think that’s something we all need to remember when we talk about food insecurity.
“Sometimes, all it takes is one unexpected hardship for a family to find themselves needing a helping hand.”
The RFB plans to provide more than 200,000 meals, up from 115,000 in the region last year.
The organization told The Epoch Times that it will distribute 66,500 meals from six distribution sites and 20 senior citizen sites in Orange County. The effort will involve more than 1,800 volunteers.
Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano said the plan is to distribute about 350 boxes from the Fei Tian College Northern Campus, and that the food bank is also in talks about year-round distributions in the area.
“There’s a real need out there,” DeStefano told The Epoch Times. “There’s an election in November. I think that’s going to determine whether this need grows or whether the government starts putting resources into addressing this food insecurity issue.”
Dominick Purnomo, the chair of the senior hot meal delivery program, said this year saw an expansion from 7,000 to 13,000 meals, and that the initiative really matters to the senior recipients.
“This could be the kindest thing that anybody has done for them, and we don’t take this task lightly,” he said. “You know the fact that people may be alone, but they know that somebody out there cares.”
The event lets students cook meals for the elderly, homebound, and veterans on Nov. 21.
Cristina Saito, director of human and social services at Catholic Charities, told the story of one grandmother who needed help last year. She suddenly came into custody of her four grandchildren and, because food, clothing, and bills suddenly increased, couldn’t afford a turkey.
“Just to see and know that this family is going to be able to have a nice dinner, and be able to enjoy [it] as the family is transitioning, and being able to have that bond with the grandmother and being in their environment, is the best thing we can do,” she said.
Recipients can drive or walk to distribution centers to receive 40-pound bags containing a turkey and the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner.
More than 200,000 meals will go to about 50,000 people in the Hudson Valley region, including Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Rockland, and Putnam counties. Last year, the RFB gave 115,000 meals to 25,000 residents for the Thanksgiving meal drive.
RFB plans to distribute 575,000 meals through 45 mass distribution sites and senior meal plans across its territory, which includes 23 counties from the eastern Canada border to the Hudson Valley. Distribution will begin at 10 a.m. on Nov. 21, on a first-come, first-served basis.
People who qualify for SNAP benefits or other types of food assistance and people whose household income is at or below 225 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible to receive food from the organization. For an individual, that would mean making less than $35,910 per year. For a family of four, it would mean making less than $74,250.
The Regional Food Bank is a not-for-profit organization that receives large food donations from the food industry, local agriculture partners, and big box stores such as Price Chopper and ShopRite. The food bank helps to distribute them to more than 1,000 local pantries.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the Regional Food Bank’s territory and who qualifies to receive food from the organization. The Epoch Times regrets the errors.
