Members of the Saugerties Teachers Association in Ulster County have turned the tailgate party from a social event to a social justice event. For the past two years, the teachers and staff at Saugerties High School have used the tailgate concept to collect food for the needy in their community. The food drive was held on two early mornings, — one in March and one in October — just prior to the start of the school day.
The local union provided donuts, coffee and tea and some good music, which served to make the atmosphere festive. The response was overwhelming! In total, the union filled five grocery/shopping bags and 14 paper boxes, all of which were delivered to the Saugerties Food Pantry. The pantry was extremely grateful and pleasantly surprised as the donations far exceeded their expectations.
“Not only did everyone have the opportunity to help the community by bringing in a boxed or canned food item for the local food pantry, but everyone was able to enjoy some good fellowship before the start of a busy day,” according to one of the organizers.
-- Submitted by LeeAnn O’Neal
Meanwhile, concern for the hungry isn’t unique to Saugerties. The Central Islip Teachers’ Association held a food drive to benefit the Central Islip Civic Council late last year. The council was desperately in need of food for its food pantry. The coordinator said the shelves were bare this year and more than 90 families did not have food for the holidays, the highest number of families in need the council had been asked to serve.
That’s where CITA came in, stepping up to help when the union’s community liaison, Jennifer Cicero, organized a very successful food drive. Civic Council members came to an executive board meeting to pick up the food and had to make three trips in their van to collect all of the generous donations.
-- Submitted by LeeAnn O’Neal (STA) and Melissa Romano (CITA)