November, 2014
“Say goodbye to the landlord for me;
Sons of bitches always bored me.” – Guy Clark
Yet another round of food stamp cuts went into effect just a year ago this month. This national event with far reaching repercussions didn’t negatively affect everyone. After all, a person not receiving SNAP card funds wasn’t even affected unless s/he was politically conservative. In that case, November 5, 2013 was a glorious day.
FOR THOSE RECEIVING SNAP CARD FUNDS, THE IMPACT WAS SERIOUS.
Diane, a pantry shopper has been a widow now for a little over 2 years. She depends totally on her low social security check. Her SNAP card allotment was reduced to $45. This $45 is her total food budget. After Diane pays her rent and utilities, she has no $$$ left for food. All the food she eats comes from the SNAP card and a pantry. She purchases her clothes at the Family of Woodstock free store.
Diane’s old car recently needed repairs and she tried to borrow the needed $$$. That never happened so she wisely gave up and moved to Saugerties to be on a bus line. Honestly, I don’t know how she managed to pull off a move. They are very expensive endeavors.
FOR PANTRY VOLUNTEERS, THE NOVEMBER 5TH CUTS BROUGHT DREAD. We know reducing SNAP card benefits isn’t the answer. When people shop for groceries with SNAP funds, they not only offer nourishment to themselves and their families, they bring much needed outside $$$ to the area, which is often depressed.
Many people have financial problems today which they are never going to overcome without a serious change in our country’s attitude toward poverty. People have no $$$ for food because of:
lack of viable employment
high housing costs
high medical costs
Pantry shoppers lack resources to get beyond a chronic condition of lack in their lives. A few people today are rich at the expense of the poor. According to Couleecap, the richest 1% increased their share of total income by 10%, while, on average, the remaining 99% saw their piece of the pie shrink by 1-2%.
As food benefits were gutted on that fateful day in November, pantry volunteers had valid concerns:
THEY FEARED A NEW WAVE OF OVERWHELMINGLY LONG LINES OF HUNGRY PEOPLE.
They feared we would all run out of food for the people and be unable to get enough to feed the ever increasing number.
There was a realization that few understand: it’s been a long time since we really were emergency food providers.
MANY FEARS BECAME REALITY. Pantry shopping has definitely become more popular. Every week Prasida and Francine bring back more and more food and every bit of it is distributed. Sean Bigler records our weekly journey on a chart on the Reservoir Food Pantry Facebook page and on our website.
The Food Banks of Northeastern New York and the Hudson Valley mustered forces to provide enough food every week. They send trucks to farms, grocers, food manufacturers and bring food back for pantries to take to their shoppers. If the hungry can make it to a pantry, they are fed.
POOR AND STRUGGLING PEOPLE HAVE SLIPPED YET ANOTHER NOTCH AWAY FROM THE RICH. I am convinced, every time I open the pantry doors, that there are now 2 Americas: the haves and the have nots.
We recently received a request for statistics:
How many have we turned away?
How long is our waiting list?
THE QUESTIONS WERE ENDLESS, IT SEEMED. Well, we don’t have those statistics in the Reservoir Food Pantry because we feed the people. The weekly trip to Latham continues rain, shine or snow. The monthly food drives at the Kingston Walmart are important for pantry volunteers.
Most weeks we run out of food about the same time we run out of people so we don’t turn anyone away. We offer a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who donates food to food banks and food pantries.
At the pantry’s close last Monday, there were 4 carrots left over in a small box, and another small box 1/2 filled with green beans.
We cannot do our job week after week without the continued support of:
Migliorelli Farm,
Ulster Corp gleaners,
Shandaken Community Gardens,
Kingston Walmart,
Boiceville IGA.
Father Nicholas at Holy Ascension Monastery shares donated yogurt with our pantry.
Pieta Williams brings items of dignity.
Lisa Library sends new books for the children.
Beecher Smith and John Parete at Boiceville Inn are the reason we have a pantry with shelves now.
LAST MONTH WE SERVED 856 PEOPLE. In September the number was 834. We expect November’s number to be higher. It has never gone down yet. Why should the trend be different this month?
THE ACTUAL NUMBER DOESN’T MATTER. We don’t plan to turn anyone away.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Food Pantry Blog – The Fat Lady Sings
“The past, with its pleasures, its rewards, its foolishness, its punishments, is there for each of us forever, and it should be.” – Lillian Hellman
MIRIAM’S WELL, THE PANTRY TRUCK, BECAME A MIRACULOUS EVENT FOR ALL IN THE PANTRY. The shopper census in the building dropped by one third because of the food being distributed in the yard at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, in the parking lot at Woodstock Commons, and outside the Community Center in Woodstock Meadows.
IN THE BIBLE, MIRIAM’S WELL SUSTAINED THE JEWS IN THE DESERT. In the modern day Woodstock food pantry, Miriam’s Well, the pantry truck, sustained both shoppers and volunteers as we fed the people. The environment offered in the back of Miriam’s Well encouraged dignity and community. Volunteers craved the dignity and community as much as the shoppers.
“Today was a day right out of a Bible story. I’ve never experienced anything like this! We were almost traveling back in time to the age old gathering at the well.”
“Today at Woodstock Commons was absolutely fabulous! When that little boy ran around the community telling every one we were here, everyone was so happy.”
“Being at St. Gregory’s was so much fun! That tree we park under seems magical.”
“The people at Woodstock Meadows are so happy to get the produce. Many of these people really can’t make it to the pantry.”
MIRIAM’S WELL, THE PANTRY TRUCK, WAS THE PRODUCT OF VOLUNTEERS WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON GOAL. The success was 100%.
WE HAD DONE MUCH FOR THE PEOPLE OF WOODSTOCK. Pantry systems were in place so solidly that they were a “lock”. The pantry was “running on autopilot” and going to function perfectly well without my services.
There were volunteers who wanted to move up in the pantry world.
There were volunteers who wanted to be the coordinator.
There were volunteers who wanted to take over pantry management.
There were volunteers who wanted to make more decisions.
The Building Committee was certainly ready for new management.
I had a book that I’d been putting off for several years. It was calling to be finished. I’d dreamed about taking writing classes.
Peggy was the best take out manager on the planet.
Guy Oddo had been “living” the pantry for several years.
They would make a wonderful foundation team for the new pantry management. They were well known, well liked, and respected by both shoppers and volunteers. They were active in their local congregations so they would represent the Interfaith Council faction well. They were both knowledgeable of Food Bank policies, guidelines, rules. They both believed in following the rules and they were both honest. They would be acceptable to the Food Bank.
The shopper population at the Woodstock Reformed Church was significantly reduced. Pantry deniers were going to have a difficult time complaining about extreme overcrowding in the building with significantly fewer people in the halls.
EVEN WITH THE REDUCED NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE BEING SERVED.
A NEW PANTRY OPENED IN BEARSVILLE WHICH WOULD FURTHER REDUCE PANTRY CROWDING IN THE BUILDING. Fr. Nicholas was opening the pantry at the Holy Ascension Monastery 7 days a week. He had a plan for controlling the lines: call ahead to tell him you’re on the way. His number: 845-679-0600. Dignity, caring manners, a smile and the best food Fr. Nicholas could bring to the monastery pantry.
THAT WASN’T THE WHOLE STORY. People from surrounding communities were asking about starting pantries in their communities. Along Route 28 there are no pantries from Phoenicia to Margaretville. People were asking.
One evening, I was taking a rare moment to enjoy a perfect Woodstock evening. The temperature was cool. The sky was indescribably beautiful. I couldn’t help but stop for just a minute to sit on a bench on the Village Green.
A nice young couple came up to me and talked about the need for a pantry in Boiceville. Sean’s pitch was convincing. I bit.
ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2013, THE FAT LADY SANG.
Thank you for reading this food pantry/hunger blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
