Scarsdale Congregational Church

In November it is common for one’s thoughts to focus on harvest, abundance, and enjoying lavish Thanksgiving Day meals but as Lorraine Buonocunto, director of the Ecumenical Emergency Food Pantry in White Plains reminded the Guild at their Tuesday November 9, 1999 luncheon, there are many who are not so fortunate. Actually, recent statistics indicate that 1 in every 4 persons in Westchester County experiences hunger on a daily basis.

Lorraine is the only director this Pantry has known and began distributing food 20 years ago from her car on street corners. As the need became more evident, the Food Pantry grew from that car to a broom closet at Grace Church, and eventually to the current donated space at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in White Plains.

The Pantry is open every Thursday and Friday morning. Thursday’s group of volunteers is busy packing approximately 300 bags of food to be distributed on Friday. The bulk of the food items are purchased from Food Patch, but the pantry also relies heavily on donated food items.The bags are packed according to family size and available cooking facilities. In addition, bags are packed for thirty-five homebound clients who qualify for delivery.

The regular clients are initially interviewed to determine their eligibility and then reinterviewed after every twelfth visit. They are questioned about their education, current employment, or reason why they are unemployed, their skills, monthly expenses, health status and any other needs they might have.

The Food Pantry is associated with numerous churches and synagogues who can be contacted for pastoral care or counseling. Each eligible client may visit the pantry twice a month and receives a four-day supply of food each time. This offering certainly does not solve the problem of hunger, but it does help to bridge the gap. Many of the clients are female heads of household caring for small children.

In a one year period from September 1998 through August 1999, the Pantry distributed nearly 10,000 bags of food. This year the Food Pantry anticipates distributing items for a Thanksgiving meal to 210 families.

Lorraine credits the all-volunteer staff for their commitment and energy. Each one brings varied talents which they share with the clients. Many of the volunteers are bilingual and are available as translators. Others provide counseling, assistance with job or housing searches and guidance with resume writing. In addition, recipes and cooking tips are offered. Support comes from religious organizations (SCC included), community and business organizations, service groups, schools, private donors and grants.

The interest in the Food Pantry is relatively abundant in November and December, but seasonal fluctuations are of concern. Lorraine describes February, March and the summer as very lean months and only by careful planning can the Pantry stay open. As Lorraine points out this is one organization that would like to go out of business, but as long as there is hunger, this all-volunteer group will continue to provide.

You, too, can help by donating non-perishable food items, money or your time. Items most needed include tuna, beef stew, sugared cereal, macaroni and cheese, and hearty soups.The Pantry likes to offer special treats, so candy donations are always appreciated.

For more information you can contact Lorraine at 914-428-5770 Thursday or Friday mornings.

The youth of SCC can be seen each Sunday morning depositing food items in a basket at the altar. Won’t you help too? You don’t have to be a child to care and share.

Reported by Linda Fink, Photo by Ruby Woosnam