County food programs receive $40,000 in aid

MONTGOMERY — A collaboration between United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region and Orange County has resulted in $40,000 being made available in much-needed funding to feed local residents.

This is the second year that each partner has donated $20,000.

“Last year, our partnership with Orange County and the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley provided more than 583,000 meals for our neighbors across the county,” United Way President and CEO Don Hammond said in the press release announcing the funding.

Individuals, families and seniors served through food programs at Grace Episcopal Church’s Guild of St. Margaret Soup Kitchen in Middletown, Port Jervis Corps of the Salvation Army’s soup kitchen and St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen in Newburgh will benefit from the donation.

In addition, 59 other county sites that are part of the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program administered in the county by the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley for the New York State Department of Health also will receive assistance.

“In these increasingly difficult economic times, more and more people are finding it difficult to make ends meet and are turning to food pantries and soup kitchens,” said Ron VanWarmer, the associate director of the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. “On average, 50,000 individuals are served by these programs each month. Many are working families who are forced to choose between paying their mortgage or buying food. Often parents will miss a meal so their children can eat, and these funds give our member agencies in Orange County the ability to feed those in need.”