Newsletter
Issue 27 St. Columba/St. Denis/Blessed Kateri Conference January 2005
Knowing, loving and serving God by knowing, loving and serving your neighbor.

Dear Members,
Happy New Year.  Over the next several newsletter I would like to report on food pantries in Dutchess County.   Though we will help anyone from anywhere in an emergency, for a long- term commitment, our families have to live within the geographical area of St. Denis/St. Columba/ Blessed Kateri parishes.  (Registered parishioners are an exception.)  It is our obligation to help needy families find alternative aid in their local areas. Also, many times we are called on to help our client families find new food resources when they move out of our area.
 
BEACON:
 
Salvation Army - Beacon Corps
372 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Telephone # 845/831-1253
 
Pantry is open Monday through Friday - 9 AM to 12 PM; food may be obtained once per month.  The program is for Southern Dutchess residents only; must bring proof of identification, proof of income (or lack thereof) and proof of household size.  Foods provided:  canned foods/cereals/ cooler and freezer items. 
 
Maintains a soup kitchen.  In the future, a counseling program will be required but it is not currently in place.  They feed between 80-150 families per month.
 
 
Dutchess County Community Action Partnership
95 Catherine Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Telephone #845/831-2620
 
Pantry is open Monday and Wednesday - 9 Am to 11 AM and 1 PM to 2 PM; Friday 9 AM to 11 AM; food may be obtained once every three months.  The program is for Southern Dutchess residents only; must bring proof of income, proof of residence, Social Security cards for all household members and a photo ID.  Foods provided:
Emergency food provisions for 3 days - canned foods/cereals/rarely meat or dairy.
 
Maintains a mid-day meal program Monday through Friday 12 to 1:30 PM with no documentation required. 
 
FISHKILL:
 
First Reformed Church of Fishkill
d/b/a Fishkill Food Pantry
1153 Main Street
Fishkill, NY 12524
Telephone # 845/896-4546
 

Pantry is open Monday through Friday 9 AM to 12 PM; food may be obtained once every six weeks.  The program is for Southern Dutchess residents only; in general they will take the word of the family that they are in need.  Foods provided:  Meats/ Canned items/Cereal/Eggs/Milk.
 
In a recent month, they serviced 251 children and 237 adults.  In the future, they plan to require annually proof of income and proof of number of people living in household.  Their mission to be a temporary, emergency food pantry has become altered over the years.
 
Trinity Broadcasting of New York
d/b/a His Hand Extended
11 Merritt Blvd.
Fishkill, NY 12524
Telephone # 845/896-4610
 
This food pantry is moving to New Jersey in March or April of 2005.  The only reason I am including the information is that they have a storeroom of clothing including coats, shoes and boots, small appliances, baby items.  Perhaps your clients could find a needed item.
 
WAPPINGER FALLS:
 
Zion Episcopal Church
12 Satterlee Place
Wappinger Falls, NY 12590
Telephone #  845/297-9797 or 845/297-2571

Pantry is open Wednesday 12:30 - 2 PM and 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM; food many be obtained once a week.  The program is for anyone who shows up- have to sign name, address, telephone and number in family.  Foods provided:  Dry foods only. 
 
They hope to continue without requiring documentation unless the program becomes too large.  Currently they feed 115 families per month.
 
Note:  Many of the Catholic Churches in this area collect food items but do not have pantries.  They distribute the food through the large well established pantries listed above.
 
Next time, I will continue with Wappingers Falls, Hopewell Junction and the Pawling area.
 
Our next meeting is February 9, 2005 in the St. Denis/St. Columba school library at 7 PM.  I look forward to seeing everyone and  I hope you will give me feedback on the above information.
 

Sincerely,

Carole Grafer, President

 






Minutes of January 12, 2005 meeting.
St. Vincent de Paul Society

Our meeting came to order at 7:05 PM. Carole read from Corinthians, Chapter 9, verses 6-9. I read the December 8 minutes which was accepted.

In attendance were Jim Falanga, Bill and Carole Grafer, JoAnn DiSalvo, Jack Kiely, Diane Villalta, and myself.

We started our meeting reviewing the HAPNAP report. We helped 44 households, 68 adults, 61 children, and 9 elderly. We distributed 90 Holiday baskets. The event went very well, thanks to our dedicated volunteers.

Carole read us a thank you note that we received from one of our clients. The single mom hand wrote a wonderful letter thanking us for the food and the many gifts she and her son received. She was extremely appreciative. Her letter made us all feel gratified for our efforts.
St. Denis’s youth group will be having their annual Souper Bowl drive on January 29 and 30. They will also be asking for donations of canned goods.

Carole is looking for extra volunteers to be on call for the emergency food services. We will be a little short handed for the next few months, with Linda visiting her mother and Joanne and Chuck planning to be away 4-6 weeks.

We discussed the need for extra space in the food pantry when donated food comes in. In some cases, the food cannot be shelved right away due to the shortage of time. Someone suggested that we store the bags of food in the grocery cart until time allows someone to shelve the items.

Carole and Bill went shopping for ground beef. They purchased 10 cases of beef for $358. Their next shopping trip to the food bank will be in February. January's newsletter will be sent out at the end of the month. Our next scheduled meeting is February 9.

The meeting ended at 8:10 PM with a prayer, said for all our clients and especially those who are homeless. Please keep them in your thoughts.

Submitted by Emily Berberich.



SVDP Meeting Schedule

February 9. 2005
March 9, 2005
April 13, 2005
Our meetings are open to all and we welcome new members. We meet in St. Denis/St. Columba school library at 7 PM.

LINDA'S CORNER

Linda wanted all of us to share a thank you note she received after the Christmas baskets.  Here are a few excerpts:
 
"How can I thank you for making our Christmas so wonderful this year.  The Christmas basket was so much more than I ever dreamed of.  My child was just thrilled with all your generous gifts."
 
"Your generosity and thoughtfulness will never be forgotten.  I'm sure God will bless you a thousand times for the difference you have made in our lives. That is my hope.  My only other hope is that I can find a job that will take care of us and pay our bills.  I don't know why it is so hard, but it is.  Everything is so expensive and starting over at my age is daunting."
 
"I'm hoping that this will be the year when I can turn things around for us.  If I can ask for one more thing,  please keep us in your prayers.  I keep telling myself that if God is with me I need nothing else."


Linda Hunt