Community2gether asks for community support of food pantries throughout Warwick
Warwick. Warwick Rotary Club and Foundation donates earmarked $7,000 early for charity organizations.
| 25 Mar 2020 | 07:12
The Coronavirus pandemic has changed everyone’s life and some of our neighbors who struggle to make ends meet may now have to choose between buying food or medicine.
“Our local non-profit organizations are experiencing higher demand and are in need of financial assistance in addition to volunteers,” said Tina Buck, president of Warwick Rotary. "In an effort to assist with the urgent need, Warwick Valley Rotary Club and the Warwick Valley Rotary Foundation are mailing checks for our annual donations now rather than wait until our recipients can join us for a check presentation.”
Those checks totaled $7,000 and recipients included the food pantries of Warwick, Florida and Goshen along with Back Pack Snack Attack, Warwick Ecumenical Meals on Wheels and the Warwick Community Center.
The Warwick Valley Rotary Foundation is also accepting additional donations from Rotarians to be forwarded in addition to the annual donation. And members are also assisting with food deliveries.
Meanwhile, Community2gether, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a stated distinct purpose of creating a vision for the future of the Warwick Valley Community, just issued a call for community support of Warwick food pantries, under pressure to meet the demands created by the coronavirus.
The Florida, Greenwood Lake, Pine Island and Warwick food pantries depend upon volunteers, usually seniors, who are one of the groups at a higher risk. And pantry organizers are working to revise operating procedures to protect both vulnerable volunteers and their clients in order to minimize the spread of the virus.
Food distribution channels have also been interrupted by the pandemic, forcing pantry organizers to travel farther and pay more for food and other essentials that they need to buy and distribute.
Since no one can predict the scope and length of this pandemic, Community2gether anticipates an increase in the number of individuals and families that, for the first time, will need to rely on a food pantry.
Local citizens can help the food pantries and the community by making a monetary donation, which because of the need to limit physical contact, are more valuable to the pantries than food donations.
- Roger Gavan
Donate
To pledge to make a recurring donation every month, at least for the next three months, visit these websites to make your donation:
The Florida Community Food Pantry is located next to the First Presbyterian Church of Florida at 9 Glenmere Ave., Florida, NY 10921. The pantry is open every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon for Florida residents.
The pantry also serves residents from Warwick, Chester, Pine Island and Goshen during the weeks when their local pantry is closed.
Contribute online at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/floridacommunityfood, or send contributions to P.O. Box 94, Florida, NY 10921. Visit and like on Facebook: @FloridaCommunityFoodPantry
The Greenwood Lake Food Pantry is located at 41 Windermere Ave. (corner of Wright Street), Greenwood Lake, NY 10925, behind the Holy Rosary Church. Enter the pantry at the basement level from the rear parking lot. The pantry is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Visit and like on Facebook: Greenwood Area Food Pantry.
Send contributions to P.O. Box 1805, Greenwood Lake, NY 10925.
The Pine Island Food Pantry is located at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 70 Little York Road, Warwick, NY 10990. The pantry is open the fourth Sunday of every month, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Contribute online at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1415634 or send contributions to 70 Little York Road, Warwick, NY 10990.
The Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry is located in the Warwick United Methodist Church, 135 Forester Ave., Warwick NY 10990.
Contribute online at https://warwickpantry.com/donate/ or send contributions to The Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry, 135 Forester Ave., Warwick NY 10990.