Local At Heart

What We Do

We work to fill the cracks and build the infrastructure that helps feed our hungry neighbors. Our efforts are part of a collaborative community effort with a great group of caring partners.


Local at Heart board members, Connie Harkin, Craig Shankles, and Linda Engler with Rondout Valley Food Pantry Director, Charlotte Smiseth, smiling in front of the new refrigerator Local at Heart helped purchase.

Linda Engler presenting a check to Cathy Sifre
at a New Paltz Rotary meeting in January.

Craig Shankles presenting a check to
Ivan Echenique, the director of FAMILY of NP.

Connie Harkin presenting a check to the
Rondout Valley Food Pantry. 

What We’ve Done

  • In 2024 we donated to the New Paltz Methodist Church in support of their Senior food supplement program.
  • Our first BINGO fundraiser in 2024 allowed us to donate to the Sparrow’s Nest for meal preparation and delivery to Ulster County to families with a cancer diagnosis.
  • Family of New Paltz was a benefactor of funds that we raised with your participation in our BINGO event.
  • The Helping Hands Food Pantry in Gardiner volunteers use hand carts to move the delivered food from the truck into the building. We were happy to donate 3 new carts in 2024.
  • We found out that Jim Tinger and the New Paltz Youth Program needed a new  BBQ Grill when the students from NPYP volunteered to help us with the 2024 Fall BINGO event. We were happy to give them the help they needed.
  • In February of 2024 on #LeapofKindnessDay we purchased a new refrigerator for the Rondout Valley Food Pantry so they can continue to provide food for their local community.
  • In January of 2024 we donated $500 to the New Paltz Rotary in support of their Backpack Program geared toward 70 families in New Paltz with food insecurity.
  • We donated $500 to Family of New Paltz who supports many individuals that rely on their services to help feed their families.
  • In 2023 we donated $500 to the Methodist Church.
  • In 2022 we donated $500 to Rosendale Food Pantry and Our Lady of Fatima Plattekill Food Pantry in an effort to support the growing need for food supplements.
  • We were happy to give a $500 donation to the New Paltz Rotary on behalf of the many local families that are struggling in these hard times. Thank you to Dawn and Bob Rich and the members of the Rotary for their organization and work for their important ongoing support for the kids in our community.
  • Support the New Paltz United Methodist Church with a $3,000 donation for their weekly food supplement program 2022. With escalating food prices the needs for seniors and migrant families in our community are growing.
  • Donated $3,000 to Project Help Your Neighbor 2020, in light of so many who are unemployed due to the pandemic. The program provides residents with meal vouchers from local restaurants.
  • Volunteer at the Helping Hands Food Pantry in Gardiner to separate and distribute food.
  • Assisted local education group – NPUT, New Paltz Middle School, and New Paltz PTA to collect and distribute food to residents as they face unemployment due to the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020.
  • In 2019 Local at Heart donated $6,000 to New Paltz Reformed Church for appliances and construction of Certified Kitchen for use by UlsterCorps. This location will be a distribution point for fresh hot meals. Facilitated and helped to coordinate the kitchen redesign.
  • Provided reusable bags to food pantries in Gardiner, New Paltz, Rosendale, and Rondout to replace plastic bags.
  • Facilitated food recovery program between Mohonk Mountain House and Family of New Paltz in 2019.
  • Funded the Summer Food Program, which feeds hungry New Paltz area children who miss out on school lunches during the summer months. Worked with local Girl Scouts to bag food.
  • Made substantial monetary donations to Family of New Paltz, Saint Joseph’s Food Pantry, and the Student Christian Center Food Pantry.
  • Provided several industrial transport carts to Gardiner’s Helping Hands Food Pantry to aid in transporting food.
  • Worked with the New Paltz Community Foundation to renovate the St. Joseph’s Food Pantry. New custom shelving and cabinets were built, a new restaurant grade freezer and refrigerator were added, and a much needed lighting upgrade was completed. Made a monetary contribu- tion to purchase the appliances.
 
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The food needs are great and to help our partners, we need help from you. Please contact us if you would like to join us or help with our efforts. If you are able, please make a donation today to help us maintain year-round assistance.

Local at Heart board members, Barbara Londa, Linda Engler, Connie Harkin, and Craig Shankles with Krista Jones, Executive Director and Founder of Sparrow’s Nest.