I recently signed up for the UlsterCorps mailing list, which sends out a newsletter about volunteer opportunities in the county. Here are some food-related highlights. Please feel free to use this discussion to share your volunteer needs anywhere in the Hudson Valley.
Freedom from Hunger Food Drive From June 21-July 5th a countywide food drive is taking place to help pantries manage the 25% increase in demand they have experienced over the last 18 months. Help by organizing a food drive, volunteering to pick up and deliver donations or by making a financial contribution to help purchase healthy food.
Caring Hands Soup Kitchen needs someone with a truck or large van who is willing to pick up donations in Kingston Wednesday mornings. 331-7188.Phillies Bridge Farm Project seeks volunteers for their summer educational programs. 256-9308.Good Neighbor Food Pantry (Woodstock) seeks volunteers Thurs mornings, Wed evenings, monthly food bank pickups. 399-3967. Helping Hands of NY Food Pantry needs volunteers in Phoenicia every other Monday 3-7pm. 688-9825. Kingston Farmers Market seeks Saturday morning volunteers. 853-8512
STRAWBERRY GLEANING TOMORROW!
Thursday June 17th, 2010
8-10am Gleaning
10-11am Deliveries to Pantries
Meet at 8am at the Postage Inn, 838 Route 32, Tillson, NY 12486
Gleaning season has begun. A wonderful farmer just north of New Paltz has strawberries he is willing to donate to local soup kitchens and food pantries. We were there yesterday to glean and had so much fun we decided to come back for more! Our fabulous team of volunteers picked 100 quarts of delicious berries (yes, you are required to sample them and welcome take a few home with you) which we distributed to Family, People's Place, Queens Galley, Caring Hands Soup Kitchen and more. Thank you all so much for your help!
If you would like to help with this effort please email ulstercorps@gmail.com or call 481-0331. The farmer has indicated if things go smoothly there will be other opportunities to glean throughout the growing season, so if you can't make it on Thursday, but would like to help out at future dates, please email and let us know what times would work best for you.
The Farms to Food Pantries Project is an initiative of the Mid-Hudson Coalition to End Hunger. Learn more here.
Herb Garden Tending at Poughkeepsie Farm Project
Every Wednesday from 4 - 6 p.m., the herb garden will be maintained from now until the end of October. We will be digging beds, planting, weeding, labeling plants, harvesting herbs, and making herbal products over the course of the season. Volunteers are invited to come any of those weeks and for any part of that time. We are also looking for volunteers who are interested in tending a bed, which would require minimal commitment but go a long way in helping us to maintain this space. Most beds are 3 by 12 feet and would benefit by about 20 minutes of weeding every two weeks (the schedule is flexible) from late spring though late summer. If you would like to take responsibility for tending a bed (say of basil, chives or oregano) please let Wendy know at 240-3734 or wendy@farmproject.org.