from the ceo Dear Friends, If there is one word that summarizes 2021 for the Regional Food Bank, it is transition. As the pandemic ebbed and flowed, the Food Bank had to repeatedly alter our programs to make sure we were meeting the needs of our hungry neighbors – many of whom were coming to us for the first time. With the hard work and agility of our dedicated staff, we were able to distribute nearly 50 million pounds of food – the equivalent of 41.6 million meals. We continued to increase the nutritional value of all food provided to achieve a distribution of 88% of food falling into the healthy categories of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and other nutritional products. And in the fall, we began a transition to providing more culturally relevant food to help our neighbors with different cultural backgrounds enjoy the comforts of their traditional foods. We learned some lessons during the pandemic and have applied those to new food distribution methods including senior food delivery, Just in Time produce and dairy distribution, drive-thru, and mobile delivery options. It also became apparent that we are out of capacity at our satellite warehouse in the Hudson Valley and we embarked upon an endeavor to build an enhanced distribution center in Orange County to better serve our friends in the southern portion of our service area. This year the Food Bank also underwent a transition of leadership. After 38 years, Mark Quandt retired from his foundational and seminal work. Mark began working for the Food Bank in its infancy and grew it from a small operation distributing 400,000 pounds of food out of a floor in the Central Warehouse to the large, well-run institution it is today. He certainly left large shoes to fill, but I am confident with the help of our talented staff, our dedicated Board, and our incredibly generous community, we will make him proud of the progress we continue to make alleviating hunger in our area. As we head into 2022, we face daunting inflation coupled with the economic fallout from COVID. We are committed to meet the need for food assistance in the 23 counties we serve. I thank our dedicated staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, food and financial donors, and member agencies for helping us make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. Sincerely, Molly Nicol Chief Executive Officer from the director of the food bank of the hudson valley Dear Friends, Perseverance comes to my mind while reflecting on 2021. Perhaps we began the year with anticipation that the pandemic would end due to the availability of vaccines. Perhaps we were hoping that all the economic impacts caused by the pandemic would dissipate as ell. Unfortunately, we are still experiencing its impact on our lives. After a drop in the number of people experiencing food insecurity, it began to climb again due to rising fuel prices and inflation. It is understandable to feel down during these continual difficult times but, at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, we glimpsed hope every day in 2021. • Our 400-member agency partners (i.e., food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, schools, and senior residential centers) continued to serve thousands of people in need of food. • We hosted at least 4,000 volunteers who came to help us inspect, sort, and repackage food so that our member agencies could order it. • We were recipients of $3,355,482.40 in donations from individuals, corporations, businesses, schools, and grant funders to help us meet the continued need. • We received amazing support for the Capital Campaign to build a new 40,000-square-foot warehouse/office space in Montgomery so we can continue to meet the need of those experiencing food insecurity for as long as necessary. Samuel Eliot once said, “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” Each victory has brought all of us the light of hope. Thank you for persevering with us. Gratefully, Sara Gunn Director, Food Bank of the Hudson Valley
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