Meet Sleepy Hollow resident Pam Mitchell. Mitchell is making a difference in her community – one grocery bag at a time. And, thanks to her selfless actions, the Community Food Pantry of Tarrytown can focus on using its funds to help families rather than purchase new bags.
Mitchell, a resident at the Kendal on Hudson senior living community and volunteer with Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown – recently noticed there was a shortage of grocery bags for the families coming to collect their food.
Instead of the pantry bearing the cost of buying new bags, Pam sprang into action. She knew that the pantry would use the saved cost to help more people – and so she set out to problem solve.
Pam noticed that several of her peers at Kendal on Hudson received deliveries from Fresh Direct, which has large, sturdy bags.
Pam connected with other women in her community to collect these bags to be reused and redistributed at the local pantry. Over 100 bags were donated in just one drop-off.
She pitches in while paying close attention to the pantry guidelines, making sure every bag she collects is right for the job. Pam continues to collect bags for the food pantry, even putting flyers around the senior living community to encourage donations.
The pantry, once reliant on purchasing bags from the local Stop & Shop, now credits Pam for helping make its operations more sustainable — a welcome boost as more families turn to food pantries and food banks across the country in the wake of recent SNAP benefit developments.
From pantry to porch, Pam and the residents at Kendal on Hudson remind us that caring for others doesn’t require a grand gesture, just a good eye, kind heart and a couple of grocery bags.
Pam is just one of several dedicated residents who help keep the pantry running strong, a true team effort strengthened by the Kendal on Hudson Resident Council’s financial support.
