Westchester County will never forget the county residents who died on September 11, 2001 and whose names are on at ‘The Rising’ memorial in Valhalla. This year, in honor of those county residents
whose lives were lost or forever changed by the tragic events that day, volunteers will be asked to help address feeding the hungry in Westchester.
“Food insecurity has always been a serious concern here in Westchester. Due to Covid-19 and its deleterious impact on our community, the issue has reached new heights. Our pantries – and volunteers – are stretched thin and efforts like those taken here by Volunteer New York! aim to combat this rising tide.
The volunteer efforts can and will continue after 9/11 with
Do-it-yourself volunteer opportunities that can be done from home including making protective face masks for those in need, writing letters to our troops overseas and making no-sew fleece blankets for children’s hospitals.
Volunteer New York has been helping Westchester residents volunteer on Sepetmeber 11 for the past 10 years as a way to commemorate those lost. VNY, Executive Director Jeanette Gisbert said: “Every volunteer on September 11, 2001 risked something by showing up to help. On this #911DAY. We call on all New Yorkers to show up in this same spirit of resilience and community once again ready to give in whatever way they can. You don’t have to go it alone either, consider getting your family, office or friends to join you. We’re stronger together. This year as we are limited in how we can volunteer together, we call on all New Yorkers to join us for our most important day of service ever — as we focus the power of community and volunteering on a single goal: fighting food insecurity.” Visit, volunteernewyork.org/service, for more information.
Feeding Westchester has reported that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented 40% spike in food insecurity in our community, some local pantries have seen a 300-900% increase in people requesting food, which has been shown to be disproportionately devastating to our Latino and African-American community members. The following food pantries have joined to support a community-wide Covid-19 relief healthy food drive to help alleviate this intense and timely need:
WESTCHESTER
· Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP)/ Fred’s Pantry – Peekskill
· Hope Community Services – New Rochelle
· Community Food Pantry of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow – Tarrytown
· Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry – Mount Kisco
· Don Bosco Community Center – Port Chester
· United Community Center of Westchester – New Rochelle
· Thomas H. Slater Center – White Plains
· Life Progressive Services Group, Inc. – Mt. Vernon
· Ossining Food Pantry – Ossining
The effort of helping to feed those who need help in Westchester goes well past September 11. For ways that you can help, volunteer, or make a donation, visit FeedingWestchester.org.
