Make Someone’s Day This Holiday! Learn What Those Who Rely On Food Pantries Would Most Like In Donations To Feed Their Families
Do You Want To Help Those Less Fortunate With Donations This Holiday Season? Here’s A Wish List For Most Wanted/ Needed Items
https://www.hungryonstatenisland.com/services.htm#survey for the information from Chris’s survey.
1. Many donate Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get donated in large quantities.
3. Many donate pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.
4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.
5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni, which they also get a lot of.
6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift.
7. Tea bags and coffee make people feel cared for.
8. Sugar and flour are treats.
9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores.
10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some.
11. They rarely get fresh meat.
12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread.
15. Butter or margarine is nice too.
16. Eggs are a real commodity.
17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.
18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated.
19. Menstrual products are a luxury and individuals get very emotional over these items
20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
December Holiday Plans at Pantries
Pet Food at Pantries
Nominations for January’s Elections
No Kid Hungry New York Summer EBT
Special presentations by:
Jody Stoll – Pet food at pantries
Sarah Blas – Cultural Food and Spice Market at Tompkinsville Park
Stephanie Wu Winter – No Kid Hungry NY Summer EBT
Committee Reports
Food For All – Presentation by Stephanie Wu Winter
Governance Committee – Nominations for January’s Elections
Next Meeting January 8th 2024 – Elections
Join Zoom Meeting
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Passcode: 096176
Minutes for the SIHTF November Meeting
Terry Troia – Welcome everyone to the meeting and stated our two big agenda items for the day. A presentation by the JCC on the digital choice pantry program, and the various organizations’ plans for Thanksgiving meals and food distribution.
Susan Fowler – Moves to approve minutes, Seconded by Cathy Carlson – Minutes approved without objection
Paloma Wasserstein – JCC
The digital choice panty has been a bit challenging but also exciting. It functions similarly to instacart. Pantry participants are allotted a certain amount of points and use them to “shop” from the available items from the pantry.
A pickup date and time are selected, then the bags are created and ready when the clients arrive. Points are broken down into categories and allow for pantry consumers to select what items they receive.
The monthly allotment of points can be spent all at one time, or spread over several pickups.
The challenges mostly arose in regards to introducing the clients to the new system and transitioning, although it proved less challenging than anticipated.
The JCC digital choice pantry is 100% kosher. Nonperishables are packed and labeled when the order is received, and perishables are packed shortly prior to pickup.
The capacity for mass emailing clients is very important. Clients are notified when their bags are ready for pickup.
The market by MetCouncil interface generates reports for the pantry and maintains a client database. Stats can be seen for any timeframe and filtered to isolate individual data.
It is customizable for each pantry’s needs. Items coming from MetCouncil are preloaded into the system the day of delivery and are available for clients to view. JCC is open to receiving emails in regard to the digital choice panty or anything else.
Terry Troia – Asked about Thanksgiving plans
Joe Magliocco – Their Thursday panty was moved to Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, with a focus on holiday themed items.
Victoria – Community Health Action Staten Island – Wednesday before Thanksgiving moved from 2-6 PM to 10AM-12PM featuring shelf stable fixings for holiday meal
Anna – Project Hospitality – Tuesday 11/21 – Soup Kitchen / Turkey and Chicken Distribution with a general pantry bag. 9AM distribution and Soup Kitchen at 12:00 PM
Susan Fowler – Christ Church – 3 times a year by appointment. Thanksgiving is one of them. They serve people without a regular pantry connection. Seniors, People afraid of going to Pantries, Mothers of School Children, People with Disabilities.
Turkeys or chickens and hopefully some fixings. According to surveys taken they are attempting to add Oil, Boxed Milk, and other items that people don’t typically receive.
Joe Tornello – Delivers Thanksgiving meals on Thanksgiving morning, and also will happen on Christmas Morning
Trinity Lutheran – Saturday before Thanksgiving 11/19 – Stickin’ with Chicken. Due to price and difficulty Turkeys aren’t feasible. 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM distribution Soup Kitchen 11:30AM
Chris Dowling – A chance in Life– Full chicken, eggs butter, and standard staple items.
And 11/21 Pies (pumpkin and apple)
Delila Nadal – SICP and the Mets Turkey distribution. 11/17. 10:30 AM – Regular pantry clients
Terry Troia – OLHC in Tottenville, COJO, El Centro, Project Hospitality, Catholic Charities and hopefully St Sylvester’s distributing Thanksgiving meals from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM for families of all sizes at 250 Anderson Ave in Catholic Charities parking lot
Amelia Winter – Chickens available through JCC Digital Choice Pantry as well as other holiday themed items
Committee Reports:
Data – Chris Dowling
Launching our membership form. To update our pantry and contact information. We only represent around 50% of pantries and we hope to get more involved. Speech to be given at Unitarian church on 11/19 10:50 AM. Link to speech here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DyrSJvfczl_wEIZWkxBQZlr6JRbmDnlzw_jP4sR9RUI/edit?usp=drive_link
Governance Report – Susan Fowler
Nominations to occur in our December meeting and voting in January. Membership required to vote.
Food For All – Farm Bill Update – Terry Troia
USDA Secretary – Tom Vilsack – Farm Bill can’t be voted on this calendar year due to loss of speaker of the house and other issues, so they are attempting to pass a 1 year extension. 437,000 Small and Mid sized farms closed in the U.S.over 4 years. Impacting grain and fruit/ vegetable production.
The 5 year Farm Bill doesn’t provide enough protection and this will negatively impact small and mid sized farms until broader protections for farmers are passed. Letters to elected officials from pantries and community leaders are needed to help further the Farm Bill.
Delila Nadal – The Family Enrichment center is hosting an event called thrifty Thursdays which operates in thrift store fashion to provide clothing free of charge to persons and families in need
Meeting Adjourned
Banner Image: Girl opening gifts. Image Credit – Marina Abrosimova
SI Hunger Task Force
The SI Hunger Task Force is not a pantry. Instead, we connect community members to pantries and pantries to community and government resources.
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