In April, HVADC was able to make a large purchase of Steelhead Trout from Hudson Valley Fisheries through its FeedHV program, which was then directed to agencies with food assistance programs in Columbia and Greene counties. The purchase was made possible through the generous support of Scenic Hudson.
A total of 250 pounds of mixed frozen and fresh Steelhead fillets were purchased, and the fishery, which is based in Hudson, supplemented the purchase with a generous contribution of its own, of 20 pounds of “off-cuts.”
The Steelhead was distributed to a variety of agencies, including The Catskill Food Pantry, The High Hill Food Pantry, The Athens Food Pantry, The Coxsackie Food Pantry, The Phoenix Web Collective, and The Pantry at SUNY Columbia Greene. With the growing demand for fresh, high-quality protein in both counties, the Steelhead was greatly appreciated.The purchase builds on the on-going FeedHV donor and volunteer activities and further supports HVADC’s aim to support local sustainable food businesses. Being given the opportunity to create such a purchase program aids in feeding those most vulnerable in our community, aligning with HVADC’s commitment to fostering local economies and ensuring access to nutritious food for all.
Left: the Catskill Food Pantry Team.
Below: at the High Hill Food Pantry
Charlotte Carter, the Director of the Coxsackie Food Pantry, discussed the significance of the contribution to her agency with Christopher Braccia, FeedHV Program Associate who facilitated the purchase and distribution. Carter noted that "The Coxsackie Area Food Pantry is experiencing an unprecedented increase in community need. In the last two years, the number of families served each month has nearly doubled, and much of that growth has occurred in the past six months. The number of children and seniors served has nearly tripled since 2020."
"Many patrons tell us that they are particularly in need of meat and other proteins, which have become prohibitively expensive. Fish is very popular, but we are rarely able to source good-quality fish from the Regional Food Bank. The opportunity to work with HVADC has been invaluable in helping us meet these increasing demands, she continued"
Right: at the Coxsackie Area Food Pantry
At the Athens Food Pantry
FeedHV and HVADC thank Scenic Hudson for their continuing support and Hudson Valley Fisheries for their participation and donation.
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