Helping those around us

Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton and Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard have declared the month of November as "Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry and Holiday Basket Month."

The Warwick Ecumenical Council sponsors the Warwick Food Pantry, which is open year round to provide assistance to families in the Town of Warwick.

The Holiday Food Basket program has been running for more than 20 years and provides Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Baskets for families and individuals in the Town of Warwick.

These baskets are done anonymously and each Holiday we distribute between 250 and 350 baskets.

Neither of these programs would be possible without the strong support we have always received from our community.

There are so many ways that you can help and here are just a few:

• Collection containers will be found throughout the town during November to make monetary donations.

• Checks can be made out to Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry and mailed to Warwick UMC, ATTN: Food Pantry, 135 Forester Avenue, Warwick, NY 10990.

• Food donations can be dropped off at the Warwick Methodist Church or in the box found at ShopRite supermarket in Warwick.

• You or your company/organization can organize a food drive anytime of the year.

• You or your company/organization can organize a drive to collect new toys for Christmas.

• You can volunteer to help with the collection and distribution of Food Baskets on Nov. 26/Dec. 20 (call Michele at 845-986-4457.

• You can sign up to adopt a family for either holiday or both (call Marge at 845-986-8947).

• Be a Food Pantry volunteer year round (call Michele at 845-986-4457).

The people we service are your friends and neighbors and we encourage you to find a way to help those around us through our programs.

Amy Lawlor, on behalf
of the Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry