When the 2024 Ulster County Fair closed on Sunday, August 4, a team of FeedHV volunteers spread out with a gorilla cart to collect donations from ten of the fair’s food vendors. The vendors had been canvassed the prior week about potential donations, so collection points were strategically planned to make the rescue as efficient and unobtrusive, as vendors were beginning to break down.
FeedHV volunteers Heide, Matt, Morgan, Alisha and FeedHV program coordinator Brianna collected 415 pounds of delicious food from generous vendors. All the goodness of a county fair was represented in the
donations, including potatoes, chicken, eggs, fresh fruits including bananas, strawberries and blueberries; and prepared foods such as Mac & Cheese, Chicken Curry, cabbage and greens, beef, chicken, sausage and peppers, rice and vegetables, pizza, fries, corn dogs, skewers and arepas.
(Above: Ulster County Fair Board Member Jenny transports FeedHV volunteers Heide (front) and Alisha and Mooch. Left: Matt, Heide and Mooch with one of the two cars loaded.)
Donating vendors were J&S Concessions, Corner Grill BBQ, Armstrong/Island Time Smoothies Café, Yah So Nice Caribbean Cuisines, Cousin Vinnie’s Concessions, Empire Concessions, Mr. Shishkebob, AW Concessions, and BeBerriesNYS. The added bonus was five dozen fresh eggs donated by the 4H club – straight from their chickens and quails.
At the end of the haul FeedHV volunteers called in back-up from Jenny, a Board Member of the Ulster County Fair, because the donation was simply too big for the gorilla cart alone and she was able to provide a gaiter to assist. Jenny drove the vehicle to the coolers to meet the recovery team and brought with her a surprise on-site recruit. “Mooch” the son of performers with Circus Incredible, who was so excited to help out with the collection, especially guarding the bananas. He travels with his parents as they entertain at fairs such as the Ulster County Fair.
(All the tastiness of a county fair were represented in the donations – from fresh fruit and eggs to trays of prepared foods.)
The formidable team loaded both the gator and gorilla cart to the brim. The volunteers then loaded two full car loads which proceeded to the New Paltz Recycling Center for cold storage overnight, where they were met by Suzanne of Family of Woodstock to help with the unloading. The donations were brought to The Darmstadt Shelter in Kingston the following day by Suzanne and Brianna.
A Family of Woodstock program, The Darmstadt Shelter provides shelter for up to 21 homeless men and women and services for those participating in daily substance abuse and/or mental health programming, who need a clean and sober living environment. Its feeding program serves about 80 people, two times a day. The kitchen feeds Darmstadt residents, families in a nearby Kingston shelter as well as former residents that come back for nourishment, as well.
(Two cars fully loaded dropped the donation for overnight storage in New Paltz.)
(Alisha and Mooch)
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