.JPG) |
| Fill 'er up: Bring cans and non-perishable goods by the Central Avenue BID offices, located at 176 Central Avenue, and help feed Albany's hungry families. |
Each day, families across Albany open their cabinets and refrigerators and find them empty. These families don't know where their next meal is coming from.
The reasons they find themselves staring at empty shelves are varied: Many may already receive food stamp benefits, but recent cuts in funding mean that they must live on a mere $4.27 a day, meaning that benefits don't actually carry them through the month. Skyrocketing fuel prices have forced other families to skimp on food budgets. Finally, many families still find themselves rebounding from the Great Recession, the national downturn that resulted in record numbers of suburbanites living in poverty.
In recognition of The Food Pantries for the Capital District’s 35th year of serving the community, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, The Food Pantries Executive Director Natasha Pernicka, and KeyBank Director of Community Relations and Vice President Kate Otis announced a collaborative City-wide food drive, running through August 8. Through their concerted efforts, they will fill these empty cabinets and help families put dinner on the table.
“The City of Albany and The Food Pantries have a long history of working together to fight hunger in the Capital Region,” said Mayor Sheehan. “This food drive is an opportunity to team up as a city, and as a community, to help ensure that every one of our neighbors has food on the table. With more than 20 locations participating as drop-off points, it’s easy for everyone to do a small part in making a huge difference for local families.”
“Our first food drive was sponsored by the City of Albany in 1980. 2,500 items of food were collected along with $135,” said Natasha Pernicka, executive director, The Food Pantries for the Capital District. “Today, The Food Pantries distributes more than 120,000 pounds of food annually from food drives. Our coalition of food pantries is currently maintaining the highest service levels of our 35 year history and we are thankful and proud to partner with the City of Albany, KeyBank, and the community to work together to keep our local food pantries shelves stocked during this great time of need.”
“Our first food drive was sponsored by the City of Albany in 1980. 2,500 items of food were collected along with $135,” said Natasha Pernicka, executive director, The Food Pantries for the Capital District. “Today, The Food Pantries distributes more than 120,000 pounds of food annually from food drives. Our coalition of food pantries is currently maintaining the highest service levels of our 35 year history and we are thankful and proud to partner with the City of Albany, KeyBank, and the community to work together to keep our local food pantries shelves stocked during this great time of need.”
“At Key, we understand the power of community and the important role caring neighbors play in renewing hope and offering support through difficult times,” said Hugh Donlon, president, Capital Region, KeyBank. “That is why we are so proud to join The City of Albany and The Food Pantries to raise awareness and to collect food for hungry families and individuals throughout our region.”
The Food Pantries conducted their first food drive in conjunction with the City of Albany in 1980 and have since worked together in a public/private partnership to combat hunger. This initiative continues that partnership. Through food drives like this, The Food Pantries are able to help distribute 932,000 meals to local families annually.
Healthy, nonperishable food items can be dropped off at the following Albany locations:
· Albany City Hall
24 Eagle St
(Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
· Albany Visitors Center
25 Quackenbush Square
(Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.;
Sat. 10 a.m. -3 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
Sat. 10 a.m. -3 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
· Alive at Five Concert Series
July 31 & August 7 at Jennings Landing
(5 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
· Arbor Hill Community Center
47 N. Lark St
(Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
· Central Avenue Business Improvement District Office
176 Central Ave
(Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
· CLCC – The Help Center
31 Vly Rd, Colonie (24/7 drop-off)
· Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Office
40 N. Pearl St
40 N. Pearl St
(Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
· The Food Pantries for the Capital District
32 Essex St,
32 Essex St,
(Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
· Honest Weight Food Co-op
100 Watervliet Ave
(Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.)
· Sister Maureen Joyce Food Pantry
315 Sheridan Ave
(Monday 8 – 10 a.m., 1:30 – 3 p.m.;
Thursday 8 – 10 a.m., 1:45 – 3 p.m.)
· Sister Maureen Joyce Soup Kitchen
369 Livingston Ave
(Monday & Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)
· Trinity Institution – Homer Perkins Center
15 Trinity Place
(Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
· KeyBank (All City of Albany locations)
(Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
(Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
§ State Capital, 50 State St
§ Key Plaza, 66 S. Pearl St
§ 200 Washington Ave
§ University Heights, 62 New Scotland Ave
§ University, 420 Western Ave
§ 19 Corporate Woods Blvd
§ Corporate Woods Office, 17 Corporate
Woods Blvd
§ 561 New Scotland Ave
§ Westgate, 911 Central Ave
Cash donations will also be accepted at the Food Pantries Office or online at www.thefoodpantries.org; every donation between now and September 1 will be matched by the Food Pantries Board and an anonymous donor up to $25,000.
Working together to feed the hungry in our community since 1979, The Food Pantries for the Capital District is a coalition of 53 food pantries located in Albany, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties. The 19 food pantries in the City of Albany had provided enough grocery items for 962,000 meals in 2012. For more information on their programs please visit www.thefoodpantries.org.
