Who are we?

We are a community-based food pantry located in the village of Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County, New York.  The food pantry was founded in 1983 and is currently run by a volunteer board and more than 50 regular volunteers. Our current name is the Croton-Cortlandt Food Pantry; our former name was the Cortlandt Emergency Food Bank.

 

What is our mission?

To work to alleviate hunger among families and individuals whose income is insufficient for their needs. We serve the communities of Croton, Cortlandt, Peekskill, Montrose, Buchanan and Verplanck.

 

Where is the food pantry located?

We are located at the Holy Name of Mary Church in Croton. The pantry is accessed at the back entrance of Holy Name near Vasallo Park, with parking available in the adjacent municipal parking lot.

 

When are we open to the public?

We are open the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. 

 

How much food do we provide?

We give out about 3–4 days worth of nutritionally balanced meals per client.

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Where does the food come from?

The food comes primarily from Feeding Westchester, a local redistribution agency. In addition, we receive substantial regular donations from many local religious, educational, and civic organizations, as well as a large number of individuals. In the summer we receive fresh produce from Lineage Farms CSA in Copake NY, as well as the Croton Community Garden, and the Holy Name of Mary Church garden. Every year, the Croton Rotary donates more than 150 turkeys for Thanksgiving. We also receive regular donations of baked goods from Bagels on Hudson and Baked by Susan.

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Where does the money come from?

We receive an annual grant from the Harry Chapin Memorial Run Against Hunger. We also receive grants from federal and state governments. Our third source of income is cash donations from individuals and organizations throughout the community.

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Are we tax-exempt?

Yes. We are incorporated in New York as a not-for-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We are also tax-exempt in New York State. Donations to our pantry are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is: 71-1052645.

 

Where does our money go?

We are an all-volunteer organization.  Donations and grant income support food purchases and other operational expenses.

 

When was the Pantry founded?

The Food Pantry was founded in 1983 by Rev. Sandra Myers, who was the pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church at that time, along with members of the church who had started the Harry Chapin Run the previous year, and a number of other individuals not affiliated with the church. We later established our separate incorporation and tax status, and in 2016, we moved the pantry from Asbury Church to Holy Name of Mary Church in Croton in order to have a larger and more accessible space for our growing clientele.

 

Who runs the Food Pantry?

All of our volunteers contribute to the operation of the pantry, with oversight from the volunteer Board of Directors. Current board members are listed under the Board of Directors tab.