Food Bank For Westchester Changes Its Name

ELMSFORD, NY — Food Bank for Westchester changed its name to better communicate who they are, what they do and who they serve. The nonprofit announced Thursday that it has changed its name to Feeding Westchester. “Our name is changing, but our mission, our work, and our board and staff remains the same,” said Leslie Gordon, president and CEO, adding that the organization is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Feeding Westchester’s mission is to end hunger in Westchester County, organizers said. With that, they said the new name reflects how the organization helps to “feed” Westchester residents. As the heart of a network of more than 300 partners, Feeding Westchester finds and distributes food and other resources to towns throughout Westchester.

“We are Westchester’s largest hunger relief program and are responsible for 95 percent of food provided to those who are hungry in the county,” Gordon said. ”We efficiently invest in storage infrastructure — like freezers, refrigerators and trucks — so that our agency partners don’t have to, freeing them to focus on serving our neighbors who are hungry.

“We also safely recover nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste — and we are truly committed to providing people with good, nutritious meals. We make feeding Westchester possible,” she said.

Developed by national branding experts and supported by extensive research, the new brand strategy connects Feeding Westchester to the national fight against hunger.

“Through our network, we feed people who are hungry in every single town in Westchester. We tackle hunger from all angles,” Gordon said.

Despite its affluent reputation, Westchester nevertheless continues to face “hidden hunger” throughout the county. One in five people in Westchester are hungry — including 1 in 3 children.

According to Gordon, Feeding Westchester is in the second year of its strategic plan, and already on track to reach its goal of distributing 10.5 million pounds of food annually by 2021 — which is the equivalent of 9.3 million meals.

Maria Bronzi, Feeding Westchester’s board chairwoman, thanked, on behalf of the directors, the supporters, staff and volunteers who have built and strengthened the organization over the years.

“Our name change is an exciting opportunity to better share the role we play in feeding Westchester,” she said.

In announcing the new brand today, the organization received support from many elected officials, including Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

“Feeding Westchester is an excellent name for an organization that does just that,” he said. ”The work they do serves the often forgotten residents of our county who work hard to feed themselves and their families, and rely on the help this organization can provide.”

Photo credit: Feeding Westchester.