Luken Daily Bread partners with a number of organizations including Schenectady Shares, Concerned for the Hungry, the Carlilian Foundation and Schenectady Food Providers to fill the pantry shelves at the main pantry location in St. Luke’s every week. After recognizing the need for an additional pantry location to offer more accessibility to patrons, the partners collaborated with St.
Luke’s to make the satellite pantry in the Holy Name of Jesus Church a reality. “We identified that Mont Pleasant is deserted for food. There are really no stores or groceries — barely even a bodega,” said Jacqueline Clute, executive director of the Daily Bread Mont Pleasant location.
“We’ve seen so often the people that come to our pantry may be able to get to other pantries on the bus, but it’s very hard to carry as many as 11 or 12 bags on them.” After recognizing the issue of transportation and accessibility to the main pantry, Daily Bread Food Pantry received several funds and donations to get the Mont Pleasant branch started. Schenectady Shares made an initial investment of $10,000, followed by a $20,000 donation from Concerned for the Hungry.
Additional grants from The Rotary Club of Schenectady Foundation and the Carlilian Foundation to Concerned for the Hungry were able to provide the new pantry with vital equipment such as a refrigerator and walk-in freezer. “If you want to run a food pantry, you’ve got to be collaborative and willing to come together to make it ha.