Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry

The Pantry was presented with a generous grant check from ACME Markets Foundation on May 26. ACME’s 130 Days of Giving Nourishing Neighbors program grant is in recognition of our thirty years of service, assisting food-insecure neighbors throughout northern Westchester. ACME Markets-Yorktown Customer Relations Manager David Mitchell (pictured left) presented the grant check to the Pantry’s Director of Operations and Programs Roberta Horowitz (center) MKIFP Board Vice-President Jo Ann Hochstein (right).

Knowing that we are improving the lives of our clients is what keeps us moving and doing and working...and not only do we get to hear such encouraging words from our neighbors, but also from @nytimes who featured an article regarding how food improves your mood last week. Check it out here https://www.nytimes.com//06/w/eat/mental-health-food.html. @mkifp remains the only weekly pantry in northern Westchester...assisting nearly 500 households by providing staples, frozen proteins, eggs, milk and fresh produce.

300 pounds! Totally amazing! Humungous thanks to Jared Saointz, and his mom Stacey, for organizing allergy safe food drives during #allergyawarenessmonth at Bell Middle School, Seven Bridges Middle School and Grafflin Elementary School. A proclamation declaring last week Food Allergy Awareness Week in Westchester County was issued by County Executive George Latimer. In light of this observation, The Examiner News published an article on Jared’s amazing work on behalf of MKFIP. Check it out --> https://www.theexaminernews.com/chappaqua-student-helps-to/

So incredibly proud of @poetryspurpose and @ejshomemadeicecream for all they do to inspire and encourage our community. As pointed out in this news segment (https://video.foxnews.com/v/6216961823001), there are nearly 250,000 people in Westchester county seeking food help each month. This pandemic has brought the hidden hunger in our community out of the shadows...but fortunately, has also shed light on all the helpers. Thank you to #douglaskennedy from @foxnews for spotlighting these teens and the work they’re doing to fight hunger.

Cheers to 2021...may your year be blessed with all the camaraderie and empathy we saw in 2020 and none of the fear and darkness that made these last nine months so difficult.

Our appreciation for our community partners continues to grow this year. Thank you to @stopandshop for celebrating the renovation of your #mountkisco store with both a monetary and food donation...both are integral to helping our neighbors in need.

Our community partners have continually stepped up and answered our call to action. We are filled with gratitude for @mastbrothers for their donation of cookies and dedication to our neighbors in need.

Meet Christian Ayala...Operations Assistant and Integeral Member of the Pantry team. Heralding from Mount Kisco, he helps with the coordination of our food distribution for those in need in our community. He has been impressed by the wonderful staff and how committed they are to the MKIFP mission...he also notes what a huge help the volunteers are and how critical their assistance is to the success of each food distribution. When asked if there are moments that stand out to him in his @mkifp work, he proudly states Absolutely! When our clients come to pick up their groceries, I have the opportunity to interact with them. To see them smiling, and how grateful they are for having the Food Pantry helping their community.

Well...no one did...BUT...we would love your help in ensuring that each of our families has something sweet over the holidays. Please consider purchasing a box/bag of cookies and dropping off/ sending to @MKIFP. You can get sizes of the cookies posted on our Amazon wish list (link in bio)...think traditional cookie bag sizes ... if you want to purchase and have delivered, the address to send to is 300 East Main Street | Mount Kisco | NY | 10549 There are always 2 bins outside the pantry where cookies can be left in or they can be dropped off to a volunteer on TWF mornings

Hoping everyone had a safe and healthy Thanksgiving...and while we are incredibly proud that as a pantry we were able to supply 430 households with turkeys or chickens...there is still more work to be done. Please consider purchasing kitchen staples from our Amazon wish list...this is the simplest way to help us meet the needs of our clients. https://smile.amazon.com//1LQ8BD/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1

Desires by Mikolay is raising money this weekend to fill our shelves! Read below for the details... For most of us this Thanksgiving will look a little different this year, with many of us separated from loved ones. Our tables will be full, though our hearts will be heavy. Despite this I am aware of how blessed we are...in the back of my mind I am ever so cognizant of all those who do without in this world. For many in this country, putting food on the ta...ble is a tremendous hardship. While this year has been trying for everyone, those who were already food unstable are suffering greatly. In the spirit of togetherness, Scott & I will be donating 5% of all sales Friday 11/27 through Monday 11/30 to the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry . We are in awe of this organization and the good work that they do for so many in need! In store at 55 King Street Chappaqua, NY Online at desiresbymikolay.com Call or text (914) 238-2223 Email [email protected] Direct message on social media platforms More than just beautiful jewelry, we have Holiday Gifts in all price points...Just send us your shopping list and let us do the rest! We are collecting most needed items for the Food Pantry this weekend. They are as follows... Cans of low sodium soups Cans of black beans One pound bags of dried beans 14 ounce boxes of oatmeal Thank you, as always, for your support!

We recognize that these are dark days...yet the ability of a family to come together to bake or cook a meal provides an opportunity to create lasting memories and silver linings. In this vein, and in light of the upcoming holidays, we have amended our #amazonwishlist to include ingredients necessary for preparing festive meals and baked goods. Please consider a donation to @mkifp or make a purchase through the Amazon link in our profile.

MKIFP, together with our clients, are incredibly grateful to @delta for their donation of 1160 blankets and duvets...and to @unitedwaywp who facilitated the donation.

How sweet is this? Volunteer, Brendan Klein, brought 450 Halloween treat bags to hand out...we thank him for this generosity, as well as for his time in helping at weekly distributions all month. Wishing everyone who celebrates a safe, healthy and socially distanced Halloween!

Congratulations to the United Nations World Food Programme, which was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace. This is the world’s largest organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. Praise and gratitude from our community to all of the workers and volunteers who are continually striving to make this world a better place.

We’ve talked about milk before...how it reminds us of childhood and coming together around family tables...cereal and milk...milk and cookies...and a good old fashioned PBJ with a cold glass of milk. The sad fact is that in today’s times so many homes are devoid of milk and other nutritious food necessary to maintain a healthy diet. We are striving to combat these hardships and, together with the generosity of our donors, are meeting the challenge of local hunger. Donations ...to our Annual Appeal can be made using http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AnnualAppeal2020 #meetthechallenge

What a challenging year it has been...yet, as a community, we have been able to provide fresh, nutritious groceries for more families than ever before, and expect to serve over 60,000 clients in the coming year. We are hopeful that the generosity of our neighbors will continue to enable us to meet the growing need. Donations to our Annual Appeal can be made using http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AnnualAppeal2020... #meetthechallenge

Meet Mast...purveyor of life’s blessings...coffee, tea, CHOCOLATE and much, much more. Not only is this local company providing our community with outstanding, high quality products, but they are partnering with MKIFP to help feed our neighbors. For every pantry item sold, a needed item will be donated to @mkifp. Win - win for everyone Check them out at www.mastmarket.com

This thank you says it all...an appreciation for the work done by dedicated pantry volunteers...and gratitude for YOU...our generous supporters...without whom we’d never succeed in our mission. If you’d like to contribute needed food, please visit our Amazon link below. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1LQ8BD2ENGD25

How cool are these doodles? How much cooler is it that a local teen is creating and selling these to raise funds for local charities, including @mkifp and @opendoorfamilymedicalcenter. See stories for more images. Purchase/donate here ... https://igg.me/at/DoodlesForDonations/ #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

The Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry is responding to unprecedented need. Since March, their home-delivery program has quadrupled in size from about 20 local families to more than 90 including vulnerable seniors and quarantining families. Every other week, a bounty of nutritious food and fresh produce is delivered by volunteers enough to cover almost two weeks. If you are looking for a safe way to volunteer, the Pantry needs you! The process is designed to be as safe as... possible: - Groceries are stowed in the back of your car by masked volunteers. - You deliver to local families, dropping off the groceries at their door and calling them by phone to let them know the food has arrived. The commitment is twice a month, on Thursday mornings. It takes about 30 minutes. If twice a month is too often for you, you can sign up to be on the list of subs. If you are interested, please contact Christian Ayala at [email protected] or DM me and I will connect you. Thanks for helping to make our community stronger and healthier!

Thank you @northernwestchesterhospital for distributing 111 flu shots at our weekly distribution this week. This Tuesday, 9.30, NWH will be back on site to help protect even more members of our community from influenza. Be well. Be safe. Get your flu shot.

It seems that every year, on this date, we share our appreciation for the helpers and our remembrance for the fallen. @mkifp stands with our communities and vows never to forget. Yet, we also want to thank the @mt_kisco_fd for their continual, out-of-the-public-eye actions that protect our community everyday...from clearing our homes of hazards to teaching our children fire safety to volunteering their muscle when @mkifp needs them. We salute you...today and everyday.

Our goal is to fill the back of Mount Kisco Chevrolet's pick-up truck with non-perishable food donations. Help us and neighbors in need this Saturday 9/12 by dropping off your food donations between 11am-3pm on South Moger Ave, near the Gazebo. #fillthetruck #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Schoolin whatever form that looks likehas begunand for so many of us, it brings back memories of lunchtime with friends and mini milk cartons that tiny fingers struggle to open. This year, the cost of milk has risen 14% since 2019and as a pantry, we are challenged to purchase more milk at higher prices. Would you consider a donation to help our neighborhood students in need? $25 would support 8 families for a weekbut any amount would be incredible in helping us fulfill our mission of creating a healthier and stronger community. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

On Saturday, Mount Kisco will honor it’s Hometown Heroes...we are touched that we were chosen to benefit from the Fill the Chevy Food Drive and are grateful to both the @mtkiscochamberofcommerce and @mtkiscochevrolet #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Repost from @cityharvestnyc One of the most important things we can do to take action against hunger is to learn about this crisisnot just the facts, but also what it means for families in NYC and across the country. Today, in honor of Hunger Action Month, consider reading and sharing this powerful @nytimes feature on food insecurity in the wake of the pandemic.

Food insecurity is a devastating reality, extending from our own backyards to every state in our nation.

What a wonderful idea from two very thoughtful and caring local teens!!! They created cards with warm messages to brighten the day of our home delivery clients. If anyone else would like to spread kindness and joy, please let us know...we welcome messages of hope from all of our neighbors.

For those that aren’t familiar with the term, ALICE stands for "Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed." At its core, it is a new way of defining and understanding the struggles of households that earn just above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough for a survival budget. ALICE families struggle to meet even their most basic needs such as housing, food, transportation, child care, health care, and necessary technology. When funds run short, these families are forced... to make impossible choices between child care or paying the rentfilling a prescription or fixing a car. In Westchester and Putnam, the cost of living requires survival budgets that are more than the NYS average survival budget and more than double the federal poverty level. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Love to cook? Want some new healthy options to try? Thank you @feedingwestchester for organizing and presenting these amazing workshops!

Congratulations to Karen Erren, who was recently named President and Chief Executive Officer of @feedingwestchester @MKIFP is proud of our long-standing relationship with @feedingwestchester and look forward to partnering with Karen as we continue to fight hunger in our community. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

CLIENTS! VOLUNTEERS! The Pantry is CLOSED TONIGHT! We will REOPEN TOMORROW--Wednesday OPEN 9am to 11am AND 4pm to 7pm.... Mt. Kisco Food Pantry CERRADO el hoy martes 4 agosto debido al clima peligroso. ABIERTO MANANA MIERCOLES 5 agosto 9-11am Y 4-7pm. Las horas regulares la proxima semana.

Want to give back? Support the community and the environment! Go to the @acmemarkets in Briarcliff Manor and purchase the $3.00 GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag. We will receive a $1 donation for every bag sold this month. #hungerishere #togetherwewillfightit

https://www.nytimes.com///coronavirus-hunger-poverty.html

Last week, @mkifp served 390 families...our good work is made easier by our devoted volunteers who kindly take time out of their days to help our neighbors in need. In Halstead Hall, volunteers packed produce bags for all families. In the pantry, the Steinberg family packed the extra bag we give to the larger families. ... In the chapel, Maya, Charlotte and Josh Laurie, together with Rachel Weinberg, packed all the SOS bags. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit @ Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry

To our generous and thoughtful community...you heard our need and responded in a way that should make you proud to live in northern Westchester. The following items are still necessary for our distributions: -chicken noodle soup... -canned chicken breast -canned pasta Os (preferably Annie’s) -bags of popcorn -bags of apple chips These items can easily be purchased through this Amazon link- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ls/ref=cm_wl_huc_view -and shipped directly to the Pantry. Thanks in advance to the best neighbors a food pantry could ask for

https://www.nbcnews.com//millions-americans-are-going-hung

Congratulations to the @foxlanepride Class of 2020...your class gifts to @mkifp @neighborslink and @naacp demonstrate your awareness of the world and your recognition that each of you have the power to make a difference. Thank you. @ Mount Kisco, New York

We need your help. Our School’s Out Supplement (SOS) program serves families with children aged 2-17 and is expected to last 10 weeks. Last week, we served approximately 350 children which is an increase of 20% over our inaugural year in 2019. We expect the need to continue to grow. Please consider purchasing some of our most needed items through Amazon (https://www.amazon.com//w/1LQ8BD2ENGD25/ref=cm_wl_huc_view)or making a monetary donation through our websiteor d...ropping off locally sourced items at our pantry. We thank youthe community thanks youand most importantly, the children thank you. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Meet Caroline. Caroline wants to Kick Hunger in Westchester. Caroline is doing an amazing job...and without advocates like her, our work would be that much harder. Please join her campaign in combatting hunger in our community with either a food donation at Green Way Markets or a monetary donation to her GoFundMe page. https://gf.me/u/x6nrhv Thank you Caroline for helping us fight the fight...and feed the hungry...and inspire those who most need to see kindness and light during this difficult time.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. ~Desmond Tutu While we certainly don’t do what we do for praise, the recognition from @nygovcuomo is greatly appreciated...and we hope and pray that we continue to move away from the darkness and into the light.

Inner peace. Strength. Mindfulness. We can all use a bit more these days. Join Barbara Dunn for an hour long ZOOM class in support of @mkifp. More details in our story and on our website.

Food banks are doing critical work right now fighting hunger during #COVID19. But they can’t do it alone. Urge your Members of Congress today to boost #SNAP in the next relief package. Please read more about snap benefits at https://frac.org//2500-organizations-urge-senate-to-invest

Congratulations to @hilltophanoverfarm on their receipt of a grant from the #westchestercommunityfoundation. This grant will help address food insecurity in the county, which has risen significantly since the Covid crisis began. For the full story, please see this article at http://ow.ly/WosH30qQEOz.

There are days when we wake up and worry how we are going to make it though...days when we worry about helping our neighbors...days when we worry about our community...and then there are days when a letter like this arrives and we KNOW that we will persevere and come out stronger.

Since the beginning of Covid, @mkifp has moved almost 110,000 pounds of food through our pantry, including 7,000 dozen eggs. We are tremendously proud of our volunteers and donors who have made this possible but would also like to acknowledge how much we appreciate our community partners for supporting our mission.

Who’s this you ask...why it’s @mkifp volunteer, Becky Stromfeld, on her study abroad trip to Tanzania. Growing up in Chappaqua, Becky and her father would make an annual donation to the food pantry on Yom Kippur through their former synagogue. Each year after services, they would go straight to the grocery store, fill up an entire cart (to the point at which it was overflowing) and donate all of it. It became a tradition and more recently, she started working with the pantry ...directly. Becky now assists with registering clients, packing bags for both distributions, giving out food directly to clients, and a whole slew of activities. Essentially, we find her happy to help wherever she can. When asked about her @mkifp experience, Becky says I honestly really just love spending time at the pantry. I'm often at the pantry multple days a week. I normally have two part-time jobs (not working either of them at the moment due to COVID-19) and I like to spend the time that I'm not working at the pantry! Everyone is so kind, genuine, and helpful! This powerful team is so special; it can be hard to come by a group with this type of character. I've really enjoyed getting to know all of the other volunteers, staff members, and clients and look forward to continuing to work everyone. Thank you, Becky, for helping us fight hunger. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Such gratitude for @senatorharckham who organized a food drive benefiting @mkifp and @neighborslink yesterday...together with volunteers from both organizations and the Bedford Teachers Association, $1000 and 140 boxes of food were collected. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

We are pleased to announce that on site distributions have resumed! This was no small feat and we are entirely indebted to our volunteers, Operations team, community partners and donors. Please visit our website for details (link in profile)... #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit @ Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry

Thank you @senatorharckham for organizing a local food drive on May 31st Details in flyer above. @ Mount Kisco, New York

Gratitude to these amazing humans! @kerryhernandezz and @ivy.mansilla joined forces, organized a contactless food drive and collected 200lbs of goods for our community!

Two FLHS students have organized a contactless food drive to benefit @mkifp and @neighborslink We applaud them for reaching out to us and seeing if we could use their help...and we can use all the help during this uncertain time!

Who doesn’t want a special dinner prepared with love and care?!? Huge thanks to Jimmy Brannigan from @winstoneats for the delicious prepared meals you donated to our home delivery bags this week. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

We continue to make home deliveries to seniors and those who are unable to leave their home because of illness or disability. If you know someone who may need us, we want to help. Please contact us at [email protected]. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

We received a special letter from a very special woman, and we are sharing it with you today: "I would like to ... thank everyone for their patience in helping the seniors and other people with the distribution of food now and in the past. It has been a lifesaver financially as well as my health. I am a second generation Holocaust survivor. When my parents and I came here, we always took care of our own needs. I found the pantry Dec 2018. The compassion & caring individuals i...n the church and the pantry are truly a God sent. In these trying times it is truly a miracle that all of you have been there to help. I want to thank you all from deep in my heart that I am truly blessed to know you are there for me. May God bless us all with a miracle that will take away this invisible enemy we have been given to deal with, and that we truly understand we all are the children of one God united in love, kindness & compassion." Thank you. We are truly blessed to know you!

Our Community Partnerships are Fighting Hunger! NOW more than ever! Our Pantry volunteers partnered with Neighbors Link for their onsite food distribution. We joined together to bring food, help, and hope, and we brought nutritious groceries for homebound deliveries. Thank you to Jo Ann and Gary Scherer and to ALL the truly wonderful volunteers who fight hunger together for our neighbors-in-need! www.mountkiscofoodpantry.org #HungerIsHere #WeFightHunger #MKIFP #FeedingWestchester #FeedingAmerica

Our Home Delivery Heroes! Thank you to our good friends at WINSTON restaurant in Mount Kisco, especially Manager Jimmy Branigan, for donating delicious prepared meals to add to the grocery bags we loaded up for home deliveries this week. Thank you to ALL the volunteers who pack and deliver bags to our homebound neighbors-in-need! www.mountkiscofoodpantry.org #HungerIsHere #WeFightHunger #MKIFP #Volunteers SHARE SHARE SHARE THANK YOU EVERYONE!

We are partnering with the Neighbor’s Link/Feeding Westchester food distribution at Neighbor’s Link, Mount Kisco, enhancing the food bags with fresh eggs, meat, and nutritious staples. Our Pantry is securing high-demand items to help families prepare well-rounded meals. This team effort serves about 600 households weekly. Please post and share this distribution! www.mountkiscofoodpantry.org #HungerIsHere #FightingHunger #NeighborsLink #FeedingWestchester

Community partnerships are vitally important right now in helping to meet the needs of our neighbors. To date, we have provided 1200 dozen eggs to the @neighborslink and @feedingwestchester weekly food distribution #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Thank you Rhonda for giving us all a reason to get out of our pajamas (if you want ) and smile! We love that you are focusing your lens on the power and resiliency of families and community. #thefrontstepsproject provides an opportunity to connect with one another and raise money for @mkifp. Visit https://rhondaphotography.com/families-feeding-families/ for more information on how to capture your family in these unforgettable times. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors Today! We are so grateful to these restaurants for stepping up and for providing 1,200 FREE MEALS today in Mt Kisco! Thank you Stone Fire, Exit 4, Mt Kisco Seafood, Basilico, and Mobile Pie Truck, Soup Ninja, Fin & Brew, and Stamford Diner. With support from Ossining's Gullotta House. #FightingHunger #HungerIsHere #NeighborsFeedingNeighbors

We are incredibly grateful to our friends at #artclosetgallery in Chappaqua for donating 50% of their online sales to the @MKIFP. Please visit www.artclosetgallerychappaqua.com/work-for-sale #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Dear Pantry Families, Friends, Volunteers and Supporters, The coronavirus has strained the resources of food pantries across our nation, and MKIFP is no exception. Demand for food assistance has soared. Since mid-February the number of desperate families appealing to us for help each week has more than doubled, from 320 to 665. Confronted with such demand and current social distancing directives our pantry faces extraordinary challenges and risks to the health and well...-being of our clients, staff and volunteers. We have therefore made the difficult decision to pause in-person food distributions at our Pantry location until it is safe to gather again. But thanks to your outpouring of support, we are able to ensure our most vulnerable neighbors have access to the food they need. To provide a generous, direct benefit to our clients in the form of grocery store gift cards, the Pantry resolved to match all of your gifts with reserve funds. This one-time direct support sustains the crucial safety net and safeguards the health of Pantry families until we can resume in-person Distributions. This means every donation we have received during this unprecedented crisis has been used to directly help those who are feeling the pain of the social and economic disruption. At the same time, we are expanding our Home Delivery Program to seniors and the medically homebound. Please call us at 914-610-5187 if you know someone who would qualify for this service. Our Home Delivery volunteer team is following a new protocol for packing, picking up and delivering grocery bags to minimize personal contact. We will be providing two weeks of groceries every other week, again with the goal of limiting exposure for everyone, particularly our vulnerable seniors. We expect this temporary pause in regular operations will keep everyone safe, and ensure that our Pantry is healthy, strong and ready when the hard work begins again, serving the many families and neighbors who will be struggling to recover from this crisis. I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for all of you who have generously donated to the Pantry, and for our incredible Pantry staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly on the front lines under exceptional circumstances. Their dedication and compassion inspires me beyond words. With thanks for your support, and hope for your well-being, Kelley Housman www.mountkiscofoodpantry.org For additional food resources please visit www.FeedingWestchester.org/find-help Please call 914-610-5187 if you have a food emergency

Our tireless volunteers have been working to keep the Pantry running and families fed...our community partners and friends have been beyond generous...and our clients have been exceedingly patient. There are no words to describe how grateful we are to live in a region that heeds the calls to help, We continue to distribute food to those in need (note: expanded hours on website) while maintaining the social distance required to flatten the curve. We appreciate all that eve...ryone is doing to help those in need and build our sense of community at this time. Stay safe. Be well. Thank you. #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit

Thank you to the @officialnyng for delivering 400 boxes of food from @feedingwestchester #hungerishere #togetherwecanfightit