Feeding Westchester operates under the conviction that access to healthy food is a fundamental right for all individuals. The organization leads hunger action programs and mobilizes the necessary resources to eliminate hunger in Westchester County.
As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they are dedicated to eradicating hunger in the region. Serving as the core of a network comprising nearly 300 partners, the organization sources and distributes food and other vital resources to various towns within Westchester, ensuring that no individual in the community goes hungry.
Feeding Westchester is also a member of Feeding America, a nationwide network of over 200 food banks. This membership allows Feeding Westchester access to millions of pounds of donated food products from national companies and training and resources designed to enhance operational efficiency. The organization takes pride in being recognized among the top ten percent of Feeding America’s member food banks for its successful distribution of nutritious food to residents.
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Feeding Westchester Programs:
Food Recovery
A fleet of nine refrigerated trucks operates daily, collecting donations from over 80 farmers, wholesalers, and retailers. At their more than 30,000-square-foot distribution center, the team quickly inspects, sorts, and packs the food for distribution. The trucks then deliver nutritious food through their programs and to nearly 300 partner food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and daycare centers—often on the same day it is recovered.
Fresh Markets
Feeding Westchester’s Fresh Markets, located in Mount Vernon, Larchmont/Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, directly provides seasonal fruits and vegetables to clients. Food deserts are transformed into vibrant sources of top-quality, fresh, colorful produce on market days. Agencies and clients can choose from up to 10,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, ranging from apples and mangoes to spinach and zucchini.
Green Thumb
The Green Thumb program mobilizes dedicated volunteers weekly to pack bags of fresh, seasonal produce for delivery to area agencies. The program serves over 3,200 households weekly. Each bag contains at least four types of vegetables and two types of fruits, including apples, squash, clementines, and carrots.
BackPack Program
Through its BackPack Program, Feeding Westchester provides children with the nutritious, kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare food they need on weekends. Nearly 60,000 “BackPacks” are assembled each year, filled with meals specifically designed for elementary school children in need. Each pack contains over seven pounds of food, sufficient for six or more meals that kids can prepare even in the absence of adults.
Mobile Food Pantry
The specialized 36-foot refrigerated truck serves as a “market on wheels,” delivering fresh, nutritious foods directly to underserved communities that need it most.
Cooking & Nutrition Classes
Feeding Westchester’s hands-on cooking and nutrition classes reach thousands of individuals each year, transforming meals for generations of families. Their “Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables (JSY)” Program offers low-income families practical, cost-effective tips to increase their fruit and vegetable intake. A licensed nutritionist from Feeding Westchester collaborates with agencies to conduct hands-on nutrition education workshops and cooking demonstrations. Each workshop provides practical nutrition information based on USDA-approved lesson plans and recipes, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables. This initiative helps raise awareness about nutritious eating and safe food preparation methods.
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