NEWBURGH– The regional Food Bank Friday delivered 12 pallets of food to the Newburgh Armory Unity Center in Newburgh where partner agencies picked up groceries to restock their shelves during the winter months.
The Newburgh effort is part of the first-of-its-kind ReStock Our Pantries program to refill empty shelves for community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, youth and senior programs and so many others across the 23-county service area.
“Last year we distributed over one million pounds of food to the needy people of Newburgh,” said Paul Zalanowski, director of the Deacon Jack Seymour Food Pantry. “The ReStock Our Pantries Program gives us the opportunity to refurbish, replenish some of the things that we’re low on like pasta, sauce and peanut butter. That’s why this program is so outstanding.”
The pallets unloaded on Friday were the equivalent of some 15,000 additional meals that will be available to combat food insecurity in the region.
“The Regional Food Bank facilitated New York State’s largest Thanksgiving meal distribution and had a hugely successful Holiday Hunger Appeal thanks to generous community support,” said Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank. “The holidays have notoriously left our shelves and partner’s shelves bare during the winter months. This much-needed distribution program will directly support agencies by delivering food to where it is needed and in turn benefit communities.”
Dining and Cooking