Back in 2016, we almost had to shut down because we suddenly didn’t have a place to operate. In 2018, we were blessed with the gift of our new home at 509-511 North Main Street, alleviating any fear of ever having to close our doors, or so we thought...
2020 challenged all of our assumptions and forced us to reevaluate our operating plans. Our mission had not changed. However, with the restrictions placed on in-person gatherings and the need for many to self-quarantine, we couldn’t rely on people in need finding a way to get to us. We had to go to them.
But first, we had to find a way to stay open.
Our number one priority was to keep our staff and volunteers safe. We knew that if any of us were to get sick, we would have to suspend operations and would not be able to fulfill our mission — feeding the hungry. It simply was not possible for us to do this alone. There are many individuals, organizations and partners to thank for helping us remain open and active this year, as you will discover in this, our first ever annual report.
Among the many heroes are the dedicated members of our staff and volunteers who understood the risk they were taking by continuing to work through the pandemic.
Through their efforts, we were able to convert our new building into a community-based food hub, to receive, store, package and distribute produce and groceries, while also preparing and delivering meals to families in need.
To all who have supported us this year, thank you.
With sincere appreciation and gratitude,
Bill Cusano
From the Executive Director
Click to download a pdf about our capital project.
Our Impact
In 2020, we were able to keep labor costs down, while dramatically increasing the number of meals we produced. We did that by partnering with local restaurants and caterers.
The Pandemic Effect
We have been working diligently this past year forging partnerships with local agencies, restaurants, caterers and schools to prepare and deliver a record number of meals and groceries to families in need. Port Chester has been hard hit by the pandemic, with many restaurants and small businesses having to close (some permanently) leaving record numbers of hospitality workers without jobs.
To provide additional assistance to our community during these troubled times, we sought grants and created campaigns to help keep some of the restaurants open, by ordering trays of prepared entrees at cost and having our volunteers dish them out into containers to be delivered to families in need.
The idea came from a partnership we established in 2018 with the Culinary Program at Southern Westchester BOCES. We provide donated food for the chefs and students to chop, cook and freeze. We then transport the trays of prepared food to our kitchen to assemble meals.
Castle View Deli
We expanded that program and partnered with Castle View Deli in Greenwich, CT when the schools were forced to shut down. We soon realized that we could make similar arrangements with other local restaurants and caterers.
By year-end, we had pumped over $100,000 into the local economy with this partnership program. We received more than $300,000 worth of food in return, allowing us to increase our meal output by nearly 100% over 2019.
As a result of this, and the expansion of our food recovery program, the percentage of food coming from Feeding Westchester decreased from 60% in 2019 to 46% in 2020.
The major shift in our operation from a soup kitchen and food pantry to a community based food hub for all of Port Chester came about as a direct consequence of the shut down during the pandemic. Understanding the need to remain open, and that we couldn’t go it alone, we joined forces with The Carver Center and Salvation Army, having them function as distribution sites. This allowed us to remain focused on food recovery, food receipt and storage, and meal preparation for distribution at each pantry location. As the demand increased, The Salvation Army instituted a contactless delivery program, with volunteers driving meals directly to clients’ homes. Soon we were making deliveries as well, following the same safety protocols and encouraging volunteers to join us at both distribution sites, fostering a true community response. Our joint efforts enables us all to stay open and reach more people in need.
We also began hosting pop-up pantries throughout the community. The “pop-up pantry” concept is a neighborhood visit with a truck (or two) loaded with fresh produce and other perishables. These items are set up on tables for community members to pick and choose as they wish.
We discovered that small, manageable neighborhood visits reach more people in less time with less food waste. We plan to further expand this program and increase the number of “pop-ups” we provide in 2021 from 5 to 15 per week.
Five Years in the Making
Our Transformation
Caritas of Port Chester’s transformation began in 2016, with our need to relocate from downtown to the center of the village.
We decided to eliminate the clothes closet from our pantry and make clothing a seasonal offering, making food our primary focus.
What was clear then and remains a necessity now is to have enough capacity for cold storage of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy items.
The idea for a community-based food hub serving all or Port Chester was formulated in meetings we had with all the agencies in the village in 2019. We had reached a consensus to work together and share information so we would have a better idea of how many families we were reaching. Because we had laid that groundwork, we were ready to operate as a consortium when COVID-19 hit.
Now, we begin construction on our permanent facility with a year’s experience in collaborative teamwork and we know the model is working.
Together, we can accomplish much more than we could alone.
Goal: 1 Million Meals Per Year By 2023
Program: Pop-Up Pantry
Budget: $200,000
Target: 15 Neighborhoods Weekly
Goal: 250,000 lbs (208,000 Meals)
Challenge: Deliver food while it is fresh and unspoiled.
In 2020, we piloted the program with weekly visits to two neighborhood sites, one in the center of the village and this one at Weber Drive.
The goal of the pilot program was to determine how quickly and effectively we could distribute produce and other perishable food items within the critical 72-hour window from donation to table.
Time matters. The quicker we distribute, the less waste we have and the more people we feed.
Approach: Purchase two custom designed Pop-Up Pantry Trucks which will be easy to load and easy to shop for clients.
Design for the new Pop-Up Pantry Trucks.
The first truck is scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2021.
Program: Restaurant Connection
Budget: $200,000
Target: 500 Families Weekly
Goal: 102,000 Meals
Challenge: Keep up with demand.
What do we do when you need to deliver four times as many meals than your kitchen can produce?
We partner with other kitchens, of course! Before the pandemic hit, we were already in need of more capacity, so we partnered with Southern Westchester BOCES Culinary school to make trays of entrees and sides from recovered and donated food. Then, when the shutdown came, we partnered with delis, restaurants and caterers to meet the demand.
The model is simple. We raise funds to cover the cost of the food and labor and the restaurants get to stay open. No one makes a profit, but everyone gets fed. Not bad.
Approach: Double 2020 output, by growing the partnerships and pumping money back into the economy.
Positioned for Success
Total operating income increased by 106% in 2020, mostly due to the impact of COVID-19. Restricted donations, representing grants for meal preparation and food distrbution increased 63%, included COVID-related funding from Westchester County and the Greenwich United Way.
Pie chart of 2019 Income.
Pie chart of 2020 Income
Individuals accounted for an additional 59% increase in funding, while in-kind donations in the form of surplus food and food drives, increased by 284%. In addition, our Capital Campaign brought in $1.6 million, helping us come within $100,000 of our $3 million goal. Despite the significant increase in food production and output experienced this past year, overall expenses increased only 13% over 2019, with the largest increase of 73% in program costs.
Pie chart of 2019 Expenses.
Pie Chart of 2020 Expenses
The increased reliance on partnerships and collaboration helped us keep costs manageable while expanding our reach and effectiveness by 66%. Special thanks to all our partners, donors, volunteers and sponsors for turning a chaotic and frightening year into such a successful example of how a community that works together can accomplish miraculous things.
Stay tuned. The best is yet to come...