March 2025

Shames Jewish Community Center Delivers Huge Donation

Rabbi Ron Symons, at left, senior director of Jewish engagement at the Shames Jewish Community Center in Tarrytown, wowed pantry volunteers Duke Coffey, at right, and co-director Vera Halpenny with the size and number of gift boxes for our clients. Four JCC staffers and a school bus were needed to deliver the donation to the pantry. The JCC made a similar donation last year to the pantry. Thank you, JCC!

Arctic Blasts Drive Pantry Operations Indoors
Freezing temperatures and strong winds forced the food pantry to operate indoors five out of nine Wednesdays, the pantry’s distribution day, during January and February. The pantry co-directors judged the conditions to be too harsh to have clients waiting outside in the cold and wind.

But on February 26, the pantry moved back outdoors and volunteers and clients found themselves bathed in bright sun and relatively balmy temperatures. The produce team, Les Radoman, Ken Perry, Bijal Das and Mary Toomy, left to right in the photo below, appeared happy as usual as they welcomed our clients.

The fair weather inspired volunteer Eric Sweeting to create an impromptu tin can art installation with a message of hope for all mankind: Peace.

Ardsley Mayor Nancy Kaboolian, at right, worked at our breakfast table, helping out longtime pantry volunteer Jean Lucasey, offering our clients milk, cereal and dried fruit.

Some of the Volunteers Who Make It All Happen – Week After Week

Loading dock chief Gene Hallacy and Kristy Fitzgerald, of our bread table, at left, are just two of the volunteers who work to provide food to our clients. The last and most popular stop at the pantry is the freebie table. It’s stacked with anything and everything, and comes with free smiles from Mark Rabinowitz and Eileen Horowitz, at right.

Final Thoughts: Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 9 and spring arrives Thursday, March 20. Those are also signs to us that donations will begin to slow down. Please consider donating nonperishable food or money. All donations go directly to helping our neighbors in need, and monetary donations are tax deductible.

Duke Coffey wrote this month’s newsletter.