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Grinding the economy to a halt, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown hundreds of thousands of people out of work in New York, and millions more throughout the country. The staggering pace of layoffs and furloughs has led to a surge in demand for the services of food banks, pantries, and other nonprofit organizations, who are rushing to serve those newly in need while also navigating the challenges of distributing food safely amid a deadly pandemic.
At St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, we have witnessed firsthand and been humbled by extraordinary people in these extraordinary times. As difficult as this pandemic is, our supporters and volunteers continue to amaze us, thinking always of those in need, and how they can help.
When generous corporate partners like Colgate-Palmolive donate thousands of personal hygiene items to us, how do those goods get into the hands of the people that need them most? Here’s a small glimpse at how teams of people come together to make it happen.
Macy’s Kathy Hilt, building manager of Macy’s Herald Square store, recently donated 500 pounds of unsold chocolate Easter bunnies and other Easter candy that was distributed throughout the St. Francis network of pantries. Because of the coronavirus, the stores were closed, and the candy was not going to be sold…so they gave it to St Francis!
Our annual Broadway Theatre event was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so instead our planned outing to see Mrs. Doubtfire, our resourceful and dedicated Theatre Committee turned instead to their primary mission: to help raise funds to support our beleaguered clientele of fellow NYers.
Even with stretched budgets, given the cancellation of some of our biggest seasonal fundraising events, we continue to distribute food to our network of pantries. During these very difficult times, each location understands both the need AND the challenges, so they distribute the food the way that serves their clientele best. Here’s how…
Please stay connected with us during these unprecedented times on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vimeo to stay updated on our work!
