'Cultivating Hope,' Rockland Catholic Charities Launches Fall Harvest Drive For Food Pantry

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland is launching its second annual Fall Harvest Fundraiser this month.

The organization is inviting residents to support local families who rely on its food pantry. The campaign begins Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 30 during Hunger Action Month, a national September effort focused on raising awareness of hunger in America.

According to the group, every dollar raised will directly support its food pantry mission. The organization said its collective buying power in the Hudson Valley allows it to turn every donated dollar into four meals for Rockland families.

The fundraiser is tied to the nonprofit’s Garden of Love, an on-site vegetable garden established in 2010 with support from Rockland County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program.

Catholic Charities said the garden is sustained through the collaborative efforts of St. Ann’s Parish and Good Samaritan Hospital. The organization also said it is the only vegetable garden located on the grounds of a food pantry within a 60-mile radius, and that more than 2,000 pounds of fresh produce are grown and distributed each year to area residents.

Through the campaign, supporters can symbolically purchase vegetables grown in the garden.

Donation levels are listed as Bell Pepper for $20, Sweet Potato for $35, Broccoli for $50, Squash for $65, Eggplant for $80 and Pumpkin Patch for $100. Catholic Charities said those symbolic purchases help stock pantry shelves for Rockland families in need.

This year, participants can also create their own fundraising page or form a team to invite family, friends, colleagues and neighbors to contribute. The campaign goal is $5,000, and Catholic Charities said 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to support families and individuals who depend on its services.

“The Garden of Love is a powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together to care for its neighbors,” said Stephen Papas, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland. “Through our Fall Harvest Fundraiser, every donation, no matter the size, helps us provide nutritious food to local families who may be struggling to make ends meet.”

Donations can be made online at https://tinyurl.com/ccfallfund26.

Catholic Charities is also encouraging supporters to share the campaign on social media to help increase visibility and donations. The organization said it has served Rockland for 30 years, providing food, shelter and other emergency assistance to county residents.