Westchester Nonprofit Recognized for Efforts Combating Food Insecurity
Among Low-Income Families, Seniors, Veterans, and the Chronically Ill
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, led by philanthropist and New York Mets owner Alex Cohen, has awarded a grant of $40,000 to Hillside Food Outreach to support the nonprofit’s efforts fighting food insecurity in New York and Connecticut communities.
“We are immensely grateful for this incredible gift from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation,” said Hillside Food Outreach CEO and Founder Kathy Purdy. “Their generous support will be instrumental in expanding our reach and providing more high-quality, nutritious food to thousands of our low-income neighbors, families, seniors, veterans, and the chronically ill at no cost every month.”
“Hillside Food Outreach’s work is making a transformational difference in the community,” said Alex Cohen, President of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. “We are proud to support this organization so they can keep doing what they do best: expand access to highly nutritious food and help communities rise up.”
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation has provided over $1.2 billion in charitable support to nonprofit organizations since its inception in 2001, including some of the most impactful hunger-focused missions in New York and Connecticut such as City Harvest, God’s Love We Deliver, Person to Person, and River House Adult Day Center.
Hillside Food Outreach delivers highly nutritious groceries free of charge twice per month to more than 2,000 low-income and limited mobility individuals across Westchester and Putnam Counties in New York, as well as in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Its clients include elderly residents who lack transportation and who are unable to carry heavy grocery bags, veterans, people who are housebound due to disability, and patients suffering from chronic illnesses who require healthy diets.
The grant award by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation follows several initiatives led by Hillside Food Outreach to raise awareness for hunger relief. In April, the organization hosted its 15th annual “Dancing with Our Stars” competition, a yearly charity benefit that has raised more than $330,000 to date. In March and February, Hillside teamed up with New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer and City of Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano to deliver healthy food to local residents struggling to make ends meet. In November 2023, just days before the Thanksgiving holiday, Hillside organized an effort to light the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in bright orange — the symbolic color for hunger — and November 15th was officially recognized in Westchester County as “Hillside Food Outreach Day” by Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
Hillside is also hosting its annual Golf Classic on June 3rd at the Richter Park Golf Course in Danbury, Connecticut, and another Cuomo Bridge lighting ceremony for hunger awareness will be held on November 7, 2024.
According to a study recently released by the New York State Department of Health, the number of New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity is sharply rising. Approximately one in four adults (24.9%) in the state face the threat of hunger, leading to malnutrition and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and cancer. The unfortunate situation in New York mirrors a national problem, as more than 17 million American households struggled with food insecurity in 2022, representing the largest annual increase since the 2008 economic crisis.
These troubling trends coincide with an increase in demand for Hillside Food Outreach services that the organization is struggling to meet, as resources for nonprofits are typically sparse. The organization relies heavily on donations and its network of more than 300 volunteers to transport nutritious foods to hungry homes, but even with a robust volunteer base it’s a challenge, and more volunteers and donations are always needed. Hillside Food Outreach has a waitlist that exceeds more than 100 households, and every day, the organization receives additional pleas for help.
Hillside Food Outreach is headquartered in Mount Kisco, N.Y. and may be reached at (914) 747-0095 or by visiting hillsidefoodoutreach.org.
