Reflecting on 2022
Published on December 22, 2022 by Nastia Goldstein
Every Monday in 2022, the Living Pantry volunteer team distributed essential goods to local families. We held several fundraisers and used the money to purchase diapers, wipes, and hygiene items. Throughout this year, we've focused on improving the way we manage our program. Distributing essential items to a long line of people can have its challenges, and we've worked out a process that keeps our distribution efficient, fair, and low-stress. We've gotten to know our regulars, listened to their concerns, and improved our communication skills. We've also defined clear volunteer tasks, so that anyone who joins us for a Monday distribution can play a valuable role.
In June we faced one of our most unfortunate setbacks yet. The Pandemic Food Reserve Emergency Distribution Program (P-FRED) came to an end and we were no longer able to receive fresh produce deliveries. The loss of this program was deeply felt by The Living Pantry and our community, many of whom depended on us and this program for access to healthy food for their families. Despite this loss, our community rallied around us, allowing us to shift our focus from food and diapers to diapers and wipes exclusively, with occasional extra items. We were able to add more boxes of diapers and wipes to our weekly distribution, so that more families could receive a weekly supply of diapers and wipes every Monday. It’s our hope that through continued distribution of essential items like diapers and baby wipes, we can help relieve some of the strain on parents and caregivers in our neighborhood and we look forward to outfitting more generations of young New Yorkers.
In 2023, we plan to continue doing what we do best: distributing diapers and wipes to families in our community every Monday. We look forward to hosting some exciting fundraisers, continuing to spread the word about our program, and adding new volunteers to our team. We also plan to apply for grants that would help keep us funded, and foster relationships with local businesses who may occasionally donate food, hygiene items, or other goods that we can distribute in addition to diapers and wipes. We look forward to learning, growing, and sharing in the new year!
With love,
The Living Pantry Team
In June we faced one of our most unfortunate setbacks yet. The Pandemic Food Reserve Emergency Distribution Program (P-FRED) came to an end and we were no longer able to receive fresh produce deliveries. The loss of this program was deeply felt by The Living Pantry and our community, many of whom depended on us and this program for access to healthy food for their families. Despite this loss, our community rallied around us, allowing us to shift our focus from food and diapers to diapers and wipes exclusively, with occasional extra items. We were able to add more boxes of diapers and wipes to our weekly distribution, so that more families could receive a weekly supply of diapers and wipes every Monday. It’s our hope that through continued distribution of essential items like diapers and baby wipes, we can help relieve some of the strain on parents and caregivers in our neighborhood and we look forward to outfitting more generations of young New Yorkers.
In 2023, we plan to continue doing what we do best: distributing diapers and wipes to families in our community every Monday. We look forward to hosting some exciting fundraisers, continuing to spread the word about our program, and adding new volunteers to our team. We also plan to apply for grants that would help keep us funded, and foster relationships with local businesses who may occasionally donate food, hygiene items, or other goods that we can distribute in addition to diapers and wipes. We look forward to learning, growing, and sharing in the new year!
With love,
The Living Pantry Team