Good afternoon, everyone – Last Wednesday we served 99 families, including 204 adults, 131 children and 40 seniors, for a total of 375 people served. It looks like we’re arriving at a new normal of around 100 families a week, as opposed to the 35-40 we used to serve. Since this coming Wednesday is the last Wednesday of the month, we’ll be giving out Stop & Shop gift cards in addition to food, so we expect an even bigger crowd, whether it rains or not.
I have exciting news! Vera Halpenny, a hard-working volunteer who’s been with us for a year or so, has agreed to be my co-director. I’m not alone anymore! Many on this list will remember my co-director Lyn McLean, who moved away quite a while ago. Now Vera has stepped up to fill the gap. Thank you, Vera! She’s already plunging in!
Benny and I ate at Sam’s Restaurant at 128 Main Street in Dobbs Ferry last Thursday night and Maurice agreed that the pantry can do a fundraiser at his restaurant again. At least three times in the past we’ve had a night, usually in October, when the pantry gets 15% of the proceeds that night, including drinks and take-out. We haven’t set a date yet, but I’ll be sure to let everybody know. Then plan on eating out that night, or at least getting a pizza. You won’t have to wash dishes that night, and you’ll be helping needy families in the Rivertowns and Greenburgh. Watch for notifications about the date on social media, too.
Speaking of social media, SPRING co-director and photographer Ellen Crane posted a series of pictures of a wonderful family from Hunters Run who did a neighborhood food drive for us. She posted the pictures on the pantry’s Facebook page, SPRING’s Facebook page, 10522, and many others. She’s very skilled at social media, and a number of people made donations to the pantry after seeing the merry pictures of those children proudly delivering the food they collected.
This past Saturday Ardsley United Methodist did it again! They held a food drive for us and collected a carload of food for Ken Stahn to deliver to us at the pantry. And they’ll be doing it again on Saturday October 17 and Saturday, October 31 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00. They are a dedicated, hard-working bunch, and Ken has been delivering food to us from Ardsley Methodist for years. These people have been our friends since we opened and we love them for it.
Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry 