Volunteers Wanted Friday: Help With Shipment For Hunger Programs

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Volunteers are welcome Friday to help unload and disperse a big delivery of food destined for groups and agencies across Rockland County.

Across the country, many individuals and families have had to rely on pantries and distribution programs to be able to eat. A report in September by the Food, Research and Action Center stated that the number of adults reporting that members of their family often did not have enough to eat rose to between 26 and 29 million between in April and July of 2020 from about 8 million in 2018.

Pantries and feeding programs serving Rockland County have also seen tremendous increases in the need for food by local residents.

On Oct. 23, a shipment of food donated through PCNY in the Streets, the Garden of Eden Foundation and 4MyCity, was distributed by volunteers at the Spring Valley police station parking lot.

"While it is hard to see so many people in such great need, it is also very uplifting to see so many people from so many walks of life pulling together to help out," Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder said after the Oct. 23 delivery.

Wieder joined Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon, Spring Valley Police Sgt. Rony Charles, Haverstraw community activist Alfredo Sanchez and dozens of others in helping. More than 1,400 boxes of fresh food were distributed.

Sgt. Charles said similar distributions have been done throughout the pandemic, and that local volunteers have also worked to assist village residents with distributions of sneakers, backpacks with school supplies and so on.

Food insecurity was already an issue for many local families, but since the pandemic, it seems it has soared, Sgt. Charles said.

Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, a June report by the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University found that food insecurity had doubled overall and tripled among families with children due to the pandemic.

Want to volunteer to help with Friday's Get Fresh food delivery, which will be to the county's Yeager campus in Pomona? Email RCSC@co.rockland.ny.us.

"While the challenges of the pandemic will continue for a while, every day we see examples of people helping people as we work to get through these hard times,” Wieder said.

If you or someone you know is in need of food, please visit the Rockland Community Against Hunger website at http://www.Rocklandhunger.org/ to find a food pantry or feeding program near you. Information is updated regularly as to when the pantries are open. You can also call the RCAH at (845) 268-8034.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.