Warwick Rotarians assist food pantries

WARWICK — "Our food pantries desperately need financial help."

That sums up the telephone call Warwick Valley Rotary President Neil Sinclair received last Tuesday afternoon.

That evening he met with his club's board of directors who quickly approved $1,000 donations to the Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry as well as the Greenwood Lake and Florida Food Pantries.

Representatives from the three food pantries - Susan and Glenn Dickes from the Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry; Mary Jean McHugh, vice president of the Greenwood Lake Food Pantry; and Denise Thibault, Florida Food Pantry director - juggled their schedules the next day to attend the weekly Rotary meeting at the Landmark Inn to accept the club's donations.

All communicated the need for community support to feed the needy. Food demand this fall has been at a record level. They cited government aid cutbacks and unemployment as key reasons.

Local Rotarians made their third round of financial aid to the food pantries this year. The $1,000 checks to the three pantries brings their 2013 total to a combined $7,500.

Glenn Dickes, treasurer of the Warwick Food Pantry, said although food demands this fall are very high and donations of food and money are lower than in recent years, he is optimistic that Warwick residents will answer the challenge. He thanked the Rotarians and Warwick community members for their support in providing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for needy families and seniors living alone.