FEEDING THOSE IN NEED Foster Hospitality Supply Executive Chef RJ Corley stirs a stew that will become an entree in dinners delivered to families in four school districts. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in financial insecurity for many in Sullivan County. A Single Bite photo
Pandemic fuels local food crisis
Program prepares meals for families
By Marlee Madison | Manor Ink
Livingston Manor, NY – When quarantined in your home with little contact to the outside world, it may be difficult to remember that everyone in our community is facing similar struggles. However, some families are struggling more than you may think.
Many children depend on school for meals throughout the day, and school districts in the county are providing meals at home for these students. But what about the parents or other family members who are not receiving meals from their school district? Luckily, Foster Supply Hospitality and A Single Bite, a nonprofit organization founded by Sims and Kirsten Foster of FSH, are working to address this problem in Livingston Manor and beyond.
By the numbers
Since the school-based food program A Single Bite shifted gears in March to provide family meals, the number of families requesting assistance has multiplied as unemployment and financial insecurity have increased. The week of March 23, 300 meals were prepared. The week of April 20, nearly 1,500 meals were distributed. The program now serves families in four school districts.
Livingston Manor: 41 families
Sullivan West: 46 families
Roscoe: 5 families
Eldred: 20 families
In normal times, A Single Bite is a school-based program to empower students to care about the food they eat and where it comes from. Sims Foster explained that A Single Bite has shifted its focus during the COVID-19 school shutdown to concentrate on feeding families in the Manor, as well as in the Roscoe, Eldred and Sullivan West school districts. Another ASB objective is to buy products from local farms and businesses, thus helping those enterprises to survive this crisis, and to ensure everyone is receiving healthy local food.
“We are using as much product from local producers as possible to keep them producing and also holding to our ‘real food’ standards,” Foster explained. “Other than that, we are focusing on full bellies and sustenance.” The meals are delivered by Rolling V and First Student bus services. Through a partnership with school officials, entire families are getting nutritious meals. Each dinner is delivered with a detailed menu of items included. “While we have the expertise to produce thousands of meals a week, schools have the expertise to identify the families in need and how to make sure we get the meals to them,” Foster explained.
DINNER IS SERVED A typical family meal prepared by A Single Bite provides locally-sourced healthy food intended to promote “full bellies and sustenance.” A Single Bite photo
These community members are in desperate need of help. “When neighbors are struggling, it is imperative for those who can assist to do so,” said Foster. “Action is necessary. I can think of no need more acute than that of people not having food in a crisis.”
It costs $10,000 a week to purchase food and packaging for the meal program. A Single Bite must raise this money to continue. In addition, Foster Supply pays ten culinary and “front of house” team members who are working every day, for ten to fourteen hours at a time, producing more than 1,500 meals per week. “We expect to add more,” Foster said.
“I am amazed by and humbled and proud of our team,” he continued, speaking of the work done by A Single Bite’s staff. “I am blown away by the support at all levels in raising funds and we will need more to keep going. I’m grateful to be able to serve, to act, in this time of crisis.”
He described what some members of the project have been doing for the effort.
“Executive Chef RJ Corley has been tireless in organizing the systems. Christine Monello, our director of marketing, has put together an awareness plan and reacted instantaneously to support this effort daily. And, of course, Audrey Garro, the executive director of A Single Bite has been leading all aspects of the efforts.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, when concern for peoples’ health and well-being is paramount, those working to bring food to families are making sure they take proper precautions to ensure there is minimal contact with the food and its recipients.
“From our side, many of our culinary team participating are actually staying in the hotel rooms on our property and isolating on site,” said Foster. “We are doing everything we can to keep the team and others safe.” The health of workers and community members alike is being kept in mind. According to Garro, there are currently 41 families receiving three dinners every week from Livingston Manor Central School District alone. More families are requesting assistance each week, as additional layoffs occur. Needless to say, it is imperative that county residents stay optimistic in this time of uncertainty. Through A Single Bite, families in need are able to maintain a sense of community, even through the isolation imposed by the pandemic.
“This effort is about neighbors feeding neighbors with our neighborhood food,” Foster said.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Donations are needed to help feed families right now. 100 percent of contributions go toward the purchase of food. Contributions can be made at asinglebite.org, or by mail to A Single Bite, PO Box 595, Youngsville, NY 12791.
Rotary helps health workers, restaurants
By Luca Larizzati | Manor Ink
FOOD TO GO Rotary member Barbi Neumann Marty picks up meals headed for CRMC workers at Yanni’s Gyro Express Cafe in Monticello. Liberty Rotary photo
Liberty, NY – In the weeks since COVID-19, schools have closed, businesses are shuttered and over 40,000 lives have been lost in New York State alone. Every one of us has been affected, and we’re doing our best to stay safe.
But for some people, just staying safe isn’t enough. For them, helping those on the front lines of the pandemic has become a mission and a way of thanking and honoring those brave men and women working tirelessly in hospitals to save our friends, families, and neighbors.
Livingston Manor native Gary Siegel, president of CD Trips and president-elect of the Liberty Rotary Club, has launched “Operation Feed,” a program that brings fresh, local meals to approximately 40 hospital workers every day, twice a day.
Started by Siegel with the hospital’s Director of Community Services Jodi Goodman and Charles Lee Miller, RN, just 21 days ago, Operation Feed now involves 20 local restaurants and 50-plus volunteers. Using small grants and online donations, the program has already delivered 932 meals, 600 bagels, 350 baked goods and more to more than 700 hospital employees and first responders.
To deliver two meals a day to Catskill Regional Medical Center employees, Gary and his team buy food from local restaurants that have been impacted by the COVID-19 virus and deliver it to the hospital doors. CRMC security officers then distribute it.
The food program is funded by donations from the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Additional monies come from Liberty BPOE Lodge 1545, Jeff Bank and a Rotary District 7210 grant. The Friends of Rep. Aileen Gunther and Sen. Jen Metzger also contributed.
Operation Feed’s work has not only fed the workers at CRMC, but has also pumped $9,300 back into the county’s economy by purchasing meals from area restaurants.
With aspirations to feed more health care workers in Sullivan County, Siegel is seeking additional funds. Every ten dollars helps buy one meal for these dedicated workers. Donations can be made through libertynyrotary.org, or by sending a contribution to Operation Feed, Liberty Rotary Club Foundation Fund, 30 Scotts Corners Drive, Suite 203, Montgomery, NY 12549. Please make checks payable to CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund.
LMCS does its part
By Osei Helper | Manor Ink
Livingston Manor, NY – When Livingston Manor Central School officially closed, it created some issues. There were students who relied on the school for breakfast and lunch. In order to get food to kids who qualified for free lunches, LMCS started sending home food via its school buses.
“Before school closed everyone came through to get their meals in the cafeteria,” said Stephen Rogers, the school’s food service manager. “Now, I have a roster of students who want meals and we are delivering the food to their homes, no matter if they live right next to the school.”
LUNCH TO GO LMCS cafeteria workers load meals onto a school bus. LMCS photo
Rogers explained that the spread of the coronavirus has altered many aspects of food preparation and safety regulations. “We are having to prepare meals with face masks being worn the entire day in order to keep each other safe and protected. Prior to the start of each shift, I take everyone’s temperature and make sure they don’t have any symptoms of COVID-19. I also document everyone that works in the cafeteria and the time they start and leave.”
Rogers said teachers’ aides have been assisting in preparing meals that go out to families. But the delivery of food doesn’t only extend to the students of LMCS.
“Prior to school closing, we were only making meals for students,” said Rogers. “Now, we are providing meals to all children who are in our community.
“The pandemic has taken the social part out of society and it has been scary to many. I just want to keep practicing social distancing and wearing the masks where needed so that I can do the duties of my job, which is to make sure that our community’s children are given nutritious meals.”