“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers….”
Oh, right, that’s the postal service. (Actually, it seems the USPS doesn’t have an official motto, but that’s a topic for another day.) But I think the words also apply to the Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry, especially today. Undaunted by the 102.6-degree heat, this morning’s volunteers served 150 households – 547 people – all of them seemingly in good spirits despite the temperature. To my amazement, I discovered that overseeing the Freebies table for two hours wasn’t a problem under the protection of a canopy. Then during evening hours, we served another 16 families. Six new families registered today, which tells us that the need persists in the Rivertowns. In all, it was another record-setting day in which we helped 333 adults, 214 children, and 56 seniors.
New this week was a bounty of breads, rolls, and pastries that Vera picked up over two nights from Panera Bread in Scarsdale. We are thrilled by the promise of a recurring donation from them. Today’s donations from MOM’S Organic Market included some beat-the-heat treats like dark chocolate tarts and cheddar jalapeño spread. Stop & Shop customers provided enough cereal to feed a small army. In our effort to expand our offerings and give people more choices, we continue to reach out to local businesses who may have leftovers to direct our way.
We continue to see new faces on Tuesday evenings when we pack boxes of shelf-stable goods and bags of produce for distribution the next day. Last night Michelle Peluso brought four Irvington neighbors to join the festivities. Their elbow grease was especially welcome as we prepared for the expected high attendance at the last pantry of the month, which is when we give out Stop & Shop gift cards.
Michelle Peluso and her Irvington neighbors pack boxes.
Not everyone takes the box of shelf-stable products but absolutely everybody wants an assortment of fresh produce. You can see why.
Nothing fazes our teen volunteers, including those shown here, not even assembling a shopping cart for the first time. It’s not exactly rocket science, but it does evoke Dad trying to put together toys on Christmas Eve. In the background, notice a finished product being put to good use.
That’s it for our update for this week. Y’all stay safe and cool!
Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry 