Mamaroneck Food Pantries Receive Grants from Giving Circle

Local nonprofit organizations that serve people who may not have access to enough food have been made the recipients of a total of $78,000 in grants.

The Giving Circle of Lower Westchester awarded $68,000 to 20 organizations and gave $10,000 to two preschools.

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The two preschools—New Rochelle Day Nursery and Yonkers-based Queens Daughters Daycare—will receive the $10,000 under the Food Bank for Westchester’s Green Thumb program.

Through the program, both schools will receive a monthly distribution of “Green Thumb Bags,” containing six to eight varieties of fresh fruits and vegetable. The schools will purchase the food through the Food Bank for Westchester using the funds.

The 20 other organizations will receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 through credit for food purchases from the Food Bank.

Organizers said the program is meant to improve the nutritional value of food made available to those at risk of hunger in Westchester County.

Eric Nodiff, founder and president of the Giving Circle, said that thanks to his members’ generosity, the organization has been able to expand its ability to help food pantries, soup kitchens and other groups provide relief in lower Westchester.

“Our grants of even $1,000 can make a meaningful difference to the grant recipients,” he said.

The following organizations received grants:

• Caritas of Port Chester Food Pantry – Port Chester
• Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry at So. Presbyterian Church – Dobbs Ferry
• Ecumenical Emergency Food Pantry of White Plains – White Plains
• El Centro Hispano Food Pantry – White Plains
• First Reformed Church Soup Kitchen – Mt. Vernon
• Lifting Up Westchester – White Plains
• Hillside Food Outreach – Pleasantville
• HOPE Community Services Food Pantry – New Rochelle
• Larchmont Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force Food Pantry – Mamaroneck
• Masters Helping Hand Food Pantry – New Rochelle
• OLMC Elmsford Community Food Pantry – Elmsford
• Port Chester Carver Center Food Pantry – Port Chester
• Sacred Heart Food for the Hungry – Dobbs Ferry/Yonkers
• San Andres Episcopal Church Food Pantry – Yonkers
• St. Peter’s – St. Denis Food Pantry – Yonkers
• St Peters Neighborhood Dinner – Port Chester
• St. Thomas Brown Bag – Mamaroneck
• Sts. John, Paul and Clement Church Food Pantry – Mt. Vernon
• Union Baptist Church Food Pantry – Greenburgh
• Shiloh Baptist Church – New Rochelle

Photo credit: Courtesy.