“It’s food donations like these that make it possible to serve as many people as we do,” stated Fulmont Community Action Outreach Center Coordinator Aimee Kollar. “I never have to turn anyone away.”
Kollar was speaking about the generous donation made to the Fulton Montgomery Food Pantry by ladies representing the Montgomery County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education committee.
A variety of cereal, soup, canned vegetables, canned fruits and juices were some of the assorted non-perishable items purchased by Montgomery County Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee members Mary Finch, Grace Downes and Marge DeBlock.
“This year we’re making a donation of non-perishable food to the local Fulmont Food Pantry in recognition of Food Check-Out Week,” said Finch. “But other years we’ve made donations to the Ronald McDonald House in Albany and to other charities.”
The Farm Bureau and Ronald McDonald House Charities connection was initiated when Food Check-Out Week first began and county and state Farm Bureaus still continue to make food donations to the Ronald McDonald Houses and other charities during Food Check-Out Week. This event also highlights the origins of the American food supply — with a focus on farmers.
Montgomery County Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee emphasizes that New York farmers are committed to producing safe, abundant and healthy food and that they are helping consumers find solutions to eating healthy on a straining budget.
“The donations from Farm Bureau are very much appreciated!” said Kollar. “They’re wonderful!”
The ladies of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education committee also donate a basket of food and baby items to the family of the first baby born on Thanksgiving Day each year.
“Most organizations donate to the first baby born on New Year’s Day,” said Finch with a smile. “But, we want to be different!”
The American Farm Bureau Federation is well known across the United States as “The Voice of Agriculture.”