Together, RCAH has made a difference to the people of Rockland. Here are samples of recent testimonials from our food pantries and meal programs:

“An essential part of the Rockland CAP”

“The RCAH “Fresh Food Recovery” program has been an essential part of the Rockland CAP nutritional program. Rockland CAP has been able to provide the clients with fresh food on a regular basis, thanks to RCAH. Research has proven that healthy food such as fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Due to poverty, our clients sometimes have to decide between the quality of food in which to consume, but with the support of RCAH, this choice has been easier for them. RCAH has made such an impact that our clients ask, “when are we getting bread, fruit and vegetables again”.

I hope this program and services continue as many of our poverty-level families are depending on it.”

~ Rosie Samudio
Director, Rockland Community Action Partnership
Spring Valley NY & Haverstraw NY
Westchester Community Opportunity Program, Inc.

“Fresh whole food options for our families”

“Even prior to COVID-19, the RCAH Get Fresh program and the Food Recovery program have consistently been able to provide us with fresh whole food options for our families.

These programs help many of our clients who are unable to afford some of these healthier produce, breads, meats, and milk products. The programs have also given us the opportunity to supply different types of fresh options on a weekly basis at no cost rather than just once or twice a month from our order with the Food Bank. It has been a great supplement to our goal of ‘Doing the Most Good’ in serving everyone who asks, especially when it comes to nutrition.”

~ Mitzie Veillard
Social Ministries Caseworker
The Salvation Army, Spring Valley Corps

“You can’t imagine what it does”

“RCAH programs help us to feed our families with healthy fresh fruits and vegetables that they can’t afford to buy.

You help us to feed our children who are not in school at this time and their families are on the verge of homelessness. Providing a hot meal while they are not in school you can’t imagine what it does.”

~ Rose Middleton-Riley
Program Director STLC Inc.

“We have seen our meals quadruple”

“We at Christ Church of Ramapo want to thank all of you with RCAH Food Recovery and TOUCH for helping us feed so many people.  During this pandemic we have seen our meals quadruple and it means so much to those who are receiving the food.

Many families coming to us now would normally be able to provide for themselves.  We have been closed except for our feeding ministry which has stepped up with just a handful of volunteers.  It makes it all worthwhile when families receive food with tears in their eyes.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us make this happen!”

~ Lori Hansen
Christ Church of Ramapo
Suffern, NY

“Allowed us to provide a great meal balance”

“RCAH Get Fresh and Food Recovery Programs were able to provide us with bread, fruit, and vegetables that we do not always have available!

These programs have helped us supplement the food we have available with fruits, yogurts, and other produce such as onions, potatoes and carrots that have allowed us to provide a great meal balance to our clients.”

~ Elissa Dailey
St. Ann’s Food Cupboard
Nyack, NY

“RCAH expanded the quality of the fruits and vegetables”

“RCAH Get Fresh and Food Recovery programs have helped Soup Angels increase the amount of food we are able to give to our guests and the improve the quality of the meals we are able to serve.  This has ranged from being able to offer bread as a regular added feature on a weekly basis, to expanding the quality of the fruits and vegetables we can offer.

This has also allowed us to pass along extra items to the Nyack Center to help feed local school children and their families, as well as to the Nyack Senior apartments where we were also able to provide more meals than we could otherwise have given by ourselves.”
~ Kathie Rife
Soup Angels Soup Kitchen
Nyack, NY

“I am able to really stock the ‘fresh’ bag”

“By attending the RCAH Get Fresh Program, I am able to really stock the “fresh” bag that I distribute to each client by adding milk, giving a full dozen eggs, cheese, and additional produce.

This has been a true blessing to the Pantry and to those in need in the West Haverstraw area.”

~ Patty Gnirrep
Feeding Body & Soul Food Pantry
West Haverstraw, NY

“Helped provide food to at least 175 families who might otherwise go hungry”

“As was sadly the case for so many human services organizations in Rockland County, the Haverstraw Center was forced to temporarily close its doors to the public in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. This would have been troubling under any circumstances, but under these in particular, when the community in Haverstraw was hit so hard and from so many directions all at once, it was just devastating.

In looking to find ways to meet the most basic needs of our youth and families during these dire times, we turned to Rockland Community Against Hunger (RCAH) for help. Haverstraw Center, because of its location in the very heart of Haverstraw (literally the “center” of the community) and its long-standing connection to Haverstraw’s youth and families, was eager to provide food along with other services to those most desperately in need. Anita Dreichler and Magda Durante of TOUCH worked hand in hand with our staff to help us to develop our feeding program and to be sure that there was always an abundant supply of fresh food, including meat, dairy and produce- items that would have been impossible to secure for many in our community if not for this program.

Since March, thanks to RCAH Get Fresh and Food Recovery Programs we have been able to provide food to at least 175 Haverstraw/North Rockland families weekly who might otherwise go hungry. To date, this represents over 3,675 boxes of food to nourish those in need in our community. Larry Weinstein of BRIDGES and Magda are in regular contact with Nikki Merriman, our staff member who has made this program blossom overnight and turned feeding those in need into her personal mission and passion. The program has attracted numerous community volunteers, and, thanks to RCAH, other organizations have begun to step up with donations to supplement our program.”

~ Marion E. Breland,
LCSW-R, CASAC-G, CPP, Haverstraw Center
Co-Chair, Rockland County Continuum of Care
Vice Chair, Rockland County Community Services Board

“Provide for 150 more individuals”

“The RCAH food donation programs have helped us to provide for 80 more families and 150 more individuals.”

~ Rev. Keith Fray
Mt. Zion Sanctuary
Spring Valley, NY

“Provide sustainable food and non-perishable items”

“The food delivery program provided by RCAH Get Fresh and Food Recovery programs helped Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in and across Rockland County, Bergen County and Orange County. We were able to provide over 250 community members each month with sustainable food and non-perishable items.

We believe that this service will still be needed and continue to be needed throughout the fall and winter months.”

~ Diana Wilkins
Director of Client Services
Rockland County Pride Center