30,000 Rocklanders Considered “Food Insecure”

Rockland County may have up to 30,000 residents who may be “food insecure” and do not know where their next meal is coming from. That number is close to 10 percent of the county’s 2012 estimated population of 317,000.

Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef will address the situation on Tuesday when numerous programs designed to increase awareness of hunger in the county and efforts to collect food are announced. Participants in the Rockland Hunger Coalition will join Vanderhoef when he issues a proclamation designating September 2013 as National Hunger Awareness Month.

“This month national and regional organizations will be stepping up efforts to provide hunger relief to residents in need, as well as striving to raise awareness of the issue of hunger,” said Vanderhoef. “According to Feeding America, it is estimated that more than 30,000 persons in Rockland County may be considered “food insecure,” and not know where their next meal is coming from, with approximately 20,000 of these Rockland County residents turning to local food pantries for support every month.”

Rockland’s hunger relief organizations include People to People, the county Department of Social Services and Catholic Community Services. People to People Executive Director Diane Serratore will speak about Hunger Action Month Activities planned throughout the county.

County-supported events include nutrition workshops and Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables programs that will be held at the Martin Luther King Center in Spring Valley and Head Start sites.

Stuff A Bus food collections will take place on September 26th at county office buildings, and September 27th at the Nanuet Park & Ride on Route 59 by NYS Thruway Exit 14. The food drives are being organized by the county departments of Transportation and Social Services, Rockland Independent Living Center, Catholic Community Services and People to People and the food will be distributed to participating food pantries.

Hunger Action Month posters and brochures with information about government and non-profit services will be posted in all TOR buses.