A Year Later: The Ripple Effect of Emergency Food Packages
One year ago, during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the prevailing guidance on grocery shopping was to have enough food on hand to stay at home for two
Emergency Food Packages
Andrea Dumas, Mayor of Malone, delivering an Emergency Food Package to a family in Northern Franklin County. Photo credit: Ben Stechschulte
Emergency Food Packages
In late March, 2020, AdkAction partnered with the Hub on the Hill to create Emergency Food Packages (EFPs) that each contained about 15 healthy fresh meals for local individuals and families facing food insecurity due to the COVID 19 crisis.
These boxes of healthy food sourced from local farms were then delivered to the doorsteps of Adirondack residents facing food insecurity. The EFP project was designed to overcome three of the most common barriers to healthy food access:
- Cost – EFPs were provided free of charge
- Transportation – EFPs were delivered to recipient’s doors
- Cooking skill – EFPs included a combination of fresh ingredients requiring minimal preparation and prepared frozen meals
The project took off like wildfire, with rapid design and implementation followed by an unbelievable outpouring of community support. Over 700 individual donors and generous seed funding by the Adirondack Foundation propelled the project forward, raising over $145,000 in just 10 weeks.
To select recipients, AdkAction worked with partner agencies with a long history of serving food insecure individuals. We served over 300 households, most on a recurring weekly basis to make sure they consistently have enough to eat through the global pandemic.
Examples of the prepared meals included in the packages are sausage goulash, butternut squash soup, bbq pulled pork, enchiladas, and cornbread, and beef stew. Packages included a dozen farm eggs, creamline yogurt, granola made from scratch, and freshly baked bread are in the box, alongside fresh greens and snacks. Nearly 20 farms and 75 farmworkers have been supported by this project.
Incorporating local farms into our food access work is important to us as we strive to build long-term sustainability and resilience into our food system, and are committed to keeping our Adirondack neighbors fed with not just any calories, but fresh and nutritious food that nourishes the whole person and the whole community. To put it plainly: the contents of the Emergency Food Packages contain the very best that our region has to offer and the donations that made them possible directly supported hard working farmers.
Caption: Contents of an Emergency Food Package include fresh greens, apples, eggs, granola, shepherds pie, maple yogurt, a fresh loaf of bread, and more. Photo credit: Ben Stechschulte
We can't say "thank you" enough!
Our donors helped us raise over $150,000 to provide more than 64,000 meals to our Adirondack friends and neighbors facing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.
We are amazed at the generosity that our community has shown to support this project. This has been the single most ambitious project that we have ever launched and it has been matched with an outpouring of support exceeding anything we have ever experienced firsthand. It has been an “all hands on deck” kind of project and while the goal has been reached, the work is far from over. We will continue to work diligently with our partners at the Hub on the Hill to make sure that your donations are put to work to feed neighbors, support farmers, and uplift our region.
We want to take the time to thank some of the individuals, farmers, and partner organizations that have contributed. Adirondack Foundation, Cloudsplitter Foundation, The Hub on the Hill, Joint Council for Economic Opportunity, United Way of the Adirondack Region, Adirondack Community Action Program, Essex Farm Institute at the Adirondack Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and so many more.
Donations that we received beyond the stretch goal continue to support the work that AdkAction and the Hub on the Hill are doing to build a more resilient local food that will outlast the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more on our Fair Food Pricing project page.
Thank you to everyone for supporting this wonderful work! With your help, our region will emerge from this crisis with a stronger food system than ever before.
Photo courtesy Adirondack Foundation, (c) Erika Bailey.
How to Request an Emergency Food Package
To request an Emergency Food Package, please contact one of the agencies below depending on your location.
Impact
Number of Emergency Food Packages distributed in the North Country
1
Number of meals provided to families and individuals during COVID-19
1
Number of farmers and local producers supported during this crisis
1
Related News and Events
Read More
COVID-response program becomes a sustainable solution to address food insecurity
Between early April and late September, AdkAction and the Hub on the Hill (The Hub), along with a network of partners and funders, succeeded in delivering 4,314 boxes containing the
Emergency Food Packages Project Awarded $225,000 in Grant Funding
AdkAction and partners have been awarded $225,000 to continue the Emergency Food Packages project. With generous support from Adirondack Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, and New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth), the Emergency Food Packages Project will continue to provide healthy, locally grown food to low-income and vulnerable Adirondack residents as the pandemic continues to diminish food access.
Press
4/16/2020–Lake Placid News: Farm food box deliveries begin
4/23/2020–WCAX Channel 3: North Country organizations team up to deliver emergency food
4/24/2020 –NBC 5: COVID-19 relief efforts give food to families in need
4/29/2020 – Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Emergency Food Packages expands after initial success
5/1/2020–Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Coming Through
5/8/2020–Mountain Lake PBS: Emergency Food Packages Delivered to Families in Need
5/14/2020–Adirondack Daily Enterprise: On the Scene- Adirondack Foundation Takes the Lead
7/13/2020 – Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Emergency food packages project awarded $225,000
Mountain Lake PBS Interview
The Coronavirus outbreak is only heightening the problem of hunger, and food insecurity in the North Country. AdkAction has kicked off a campaign to deliver 1,000 Emergency Food Packages, which include a week’s worth of meals, free of charge, to families in need throughout the Eastern Adirondacks. We talked with the Executive Director of Adk Action, Brittany Christenson, about the program. View the interview here.
Donate
AdkAction is committed to increasing access to local food for low-income Adirondack residents. Please make a donation today to help us continue to support local farmers and to ensure that all residents, especially the most vulnerable, get access to healthy, local food.