Welcome. We’re Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry is one of 60,000 pantries and meal programs that are part of the Feeding America network.
That’s a whopping number, and it means that food pantries play an important role in communities across the country, especially in low-income areas that lack stores offering healthy, affordable food, or areas that have supermarkets that are hard to get to if you don’t have a car.
At our food pantry, clients are young and old. Many are women with young children. Our clients are in between jobs or work several jobs. Some have a life threatening illness and can no longer work, or struggle with mental illness. Older clients who’ve lived here for much of their life but can’t keep up with rising costs also depend on our pantry for assistance. And then there are the clients who fled war, but dream of returning home.
Ever Evolving
Food pantries have long emphasized quantity, efficiency and fairness, handing each client a box or bag packed with canned goods, beans, pasta, sauce and peanut butter. Sometimes this box is offered with other foods.
But we knew we could do better.
For many years we’ve offered a variety of foods, but several years ago we stopped handing a box of food to each client, in an effort to give clients more choice, stress nutritional value, reduce the waste of unwanted food, and save money spent on boxes and the time needed to pack them.
A client doesn’t eat peanut butter? Do they have trouble digesting dairy? No problem. Our clients choose what they want; we work to offer them healthy foods that appeal to as many people as possible, and provide a dignified experience.
After checking in, the first thing our clients see are tables lined with a beautiful display of fresh vegetables and fruit, emphasizing the importance of a healthy diet.
Next, they visit the breakfast table, choosing the type of milk they prefer — whole, low-fat or nondairy — and cereal, ideally low-sugar or oats, and then it’s on to the protein table where they can often take eggs plus a choice of chicken, fish or another protein. Clients continue visiting tables loaded with options.
Thanks to You
Our pantry depends heavily on receiving food from the nonprofit Feeding Westchester, part of the Feeding America network of 200 food banks that store millions of pounds of food and deliver it to food pantries and meal programs. Recent federal budget cuts have affected Feeding Westchester. Over a million pounds of food is no longer available to the 175 food pantries served by this food bank.
But members of this community and beyond continue to support our pantry and help our neighbors in need. Many thanks to The Scarsdale Woman’s Club, a longtime and generous supporter, for their recent donation.
The Scarsdale Woman’s Club dropped off yet another donation. Natalie, at far left, volunteers at the pantry and helped move the bags to our storage area, the first step in getting food, personal hygiene items and diapers to people who need them.
If you see Gordon at our pantry, he’s dropping off another weekly donation from Zion Episcopal Church in Dobbs Ferry.
Upcoming Events in August
HudCo Presents: Armo
Saturday August 2, 6-11 p.m.
HudCo Presents is a new concert series at 145 Palisade Street in Dobbs Ferry. If you haven’t seen Armo perform live in the city, now’s your chance. Their music features classic and contemporary Afrobeat.
Doors open at 6 p.m., so does the bar, and please stop by the Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry table and meet the crew. HudCo is hosting a food drive for the pantry, so please bring nonperishable food or donate cash. Music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for HudCo members, $20 for the general public and $25 at the door. You must be 18 or older to attend.
Hudson Social featuring The Hendersons
Sunday August 17, 1-4 p.m
This popular restaurant and bar, located in the Dobbs Ferry train station, is hosting a fundraiser for the pantry featuring The Hendersons, a terrific local band who are donating their time and talent. Come hear them play country, British Invasion and classic rock, and meet friends old and new.
Kimberly Janeway wrote this month’s newsletter and invites readers to visit the pantry on any Wednesday between 10 a.m. and noon. See us in action and introduce yourself. We’d like to meet you!
Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry 
Thank you Kimberly. Proud to part of this group of wonderful volunteers proud of our pantry and the community it servesSent from my iPad
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And thank you!
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