NECC’s food programs serve dignity to patrons

MILLERTON — According to New York State health commissioner James McDonald, “No one should have to go hungry,” a statement supported by the staff at the North East Community Center, who do their part on a daily basis to ensure all members of the community have access to adequate and nutritious food resources.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, the NECC doors opened and people filed in and out. Those who were exiting were carrying bags or pulling carts filled with food. Those who were entering clutched empty bags on their way in, and those with family or friends chatted among themselves as they selected items from the NECC’s food pantry shelves. Once they finished stocking up, they headed for home, their mission accomplished.

By design, there’s a pointed sense of normalcy attached to the NECC food pantry. Food insecurity, which is defined by limited or questionable food access due to curtailed financial means, has become more prevalent in recent years with the onset of inflation. For some, food insecurity is a new concern and a new normal which may be accompanied by a sense of shame or feelings of failure.

The NECC, established in 1988 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1990, aids in lifting the emotional toll connected with food unease by providing fresh and nutritious food for community members.

With its founding, the NECC filled a much-needed gap in human and community services in Northeast Dutchess.

It serves children, adolescents and families through a range of programming that includes day care, after-school activities, resources for teenagers — including a teen club, internships and apprenticeships — and provides guidance for families with income-tax filing, summer camp scholarships, and obtaining school supplies and winter coats.

Additionally, the NECC offers classes in English as a second language and yoga. But its food programming is a cornerstone of its existence, and it’s a literal lifeline.

Nutritious food serves as a preventative against future health impacts. Without it, as health commissioner McDonald noted, “Hunger stresses the body and mind, and can result in malnutrition, inability to concentrate, anxiety, and depression. In addition, adults who experience food insecurity are more likely to report chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma and cancer.”

For the NECC, food is medicine, and they regularly administer farm-fresh produce and eggs to their clientele through their Fresh Food Pantry, a collaboration with local suppliers, made possible through donations. Distribution in Millerton runs from June through October, and through February for Pine Plains and Amenia.

There is also a holiday food distribution via the Millerton Food Pantry in the months of November and December.

At the food pantry, open year-round, a range of canned goods, shelf-stable products, cereal, dairy and eggs can be found on roll-away shelves in addition to some household items. Foods are wholesome and culturally sensitive.

A volunteer crew works in conjunction with NECC staff members at the pantry. The NECC is always looking for volunteers to aid in unloading and distributing food pantry items.

Its Millerton Farmers’ Market is held weekly at the Methodist Church from May through December, and the second and fourth Saturday from January through March.

It provides those in need with access to fresh and local produce, pasture-raised meat, baked goods and cheese. EBT, WIC checks, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks are accepted. Sustainable farming practices and ethical growth methods are utilized by their vendors to ensure optimal quality.

The Market is on the receiving end of support via Berkshire Agricultural Ventures’ market match fund, in which a $1-for-$1 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program match is made, up to $30 per transaction, enabling SNAP users to make the most of their funds at the Farmers’ Market.

Additional support comes from the Field & Fork Network’s Double-Up Food Bucks New York, in which a $2-for-$2 match up to $20 per day is extended.

This provides SNAP recipients additional tokens for produce purchases at any farmers market partnered with the NECC. Patrons concerned about high farmers’ market prices need not worry as many vendors offer comparable prices to supermarkets.

Through its partnerships with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, Tri Corner FEED, and Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and local farms, the NECC has created the Community Access Food Hub. The hub is where food is distributed. It also supplies produce, eggs and milk to regional food pantry partners. As a result, approximately 159,891 lbs. of food was delivered to alleviate hunger throughout the region.

Last summer, the NECC offered a summer meals program to children under 18 enrolled in the Webutuck Central School District. The program provided lunch at Eddie Collins Memorial Park in Millerton and breakfast and lunch at the Maplebrook School.
The NECC food pantry is open on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m., and is located at 51 S. Center St. in Millerton. Additionally, the NECC delivers groceries to those in need on Thursdays.

To learn more about the NECC and its offerings, visit: neccmillerton.org.