Good afternoon, everybody – Yesterday in the morning we served a total of 17 families, including 26 adults, 23 children and 5 seniors. Then in the evening we served another 17 families with 29 adults, 19 children and 3 seniors. So, the total was 34 families with 55 adults, 42 children and 8 seniors. We averaged 31 families a week in April.
Last Sunday Mercy College’s Exercise Science Club had an event in which they ran along the Aqueduct. Afterwards they offered apples and bananas as refreshment. That afternoon they called me to say they had some apples and bananas left over and wanted to drop them off. I was delighted, of course. When I came to church on Monday for a yoga class there were HUGE cases of apples and bananas. And then Ellen and Eileen picked up our monthly allotment of fruits (bananas) and vegetables from the Food Bank’s Green Thumb program. Boy, did we have fresh produce to offer our clients. There was plenty waiting for our evening clients as well. They could take all they wanted, and then we were still left with apples and bananas. But, nothing ever goes to waste. This morning I called the Irvington Senior Center and they were happy to accept all the apples and bananas (50 or so) we had. So, our beloved Tom W. came to church, gathered up the fruit, and drove it over to the Seniors so that they could eat the fruit with their lunch.
We were also contacted last week by Rosemarie Gatzek, Director of the Irvington Public Library, letting us know that her office was full of shelf-stable food donations again. The Irvington Library patrons are an amazing bunch, and we don’t even know who they are. And guess who drove over there, picked up the food and brought it to South Church – Tom. Tom, Ellen and Eileen are three people who go and get food for the pantry, wherever it is, and bring it to be given out to our clients. A virtual hug to all three of you. And a separate hug to Carol, who brings food to us just about every week from TWO churches – Dobbs Ferry Lutheran and Zion Episcopal.
The Wednesday before Easter we gave out gift cards to the clients, purchased by the parishioners at the Church of St. Barnabas in Irvington. The people in that church, including our own Barbara M., are among our most loyal supporters. We gave them all out that day. Then I went out and bought a few more because we have a number of clients who come only on the last Wednesday of the month in the evening. We’ve got a group of regulars who come every month, and I wanted to be sure that they also receive what we give out during the day. So those clients last night went home with lots of produce plus a Stop & Shop gift card.
If anybody is interested in attic sales, St. Barnabas Church in Ardsley is having an attic sale tomorrow and Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00. If you can’t make that one, there’s an attic sale at Ardsley United Methodist May 5 and 6 from 10:00 to 2:00. And Ardsley Methodist is having a pasta night and May 12, for which you have to RSVP. So, there’s lots to do in the Rivertowns.
Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry 