Daniel T. Connor
Superintendent

227 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
(845) 615-6720

District news

View the January letter from the Youth Ending Hunger Club

January 27, 2012 - Our winter holiday food baskets were a huge success, thanks to the generosity of the Goshen community. Since the need has grown vastly, it's a challenge to keep our food pantry filled and ready to feed the close to 90 families that we now serve.

A big thank you goes to everyone who donated food, gifts, and toys for our November and December baskets. We send many thanks to the adult members who helped to pack and deliver the baskets: Violet Rattray, Mary Arne, Kristin Klugman, Liza Kunis, Sherry Fogelman, Juliann Lombardi, Jacqueline Noteboom, Sherry Calogero, Kathi Decker, Carol Brescia, Paula Holmes, Regina Botens, Debbie DeRosa, Diana and John Lupinski, Renee and Ben Matalucci, Jenn Quackenbush, Lee Quaranta, Sr. Peggy Murphy, Chris Diccianni, Beth Tyrell, John Schell, and Catherine Faller.

We thank the Everything Grows Childcare and Learning Centers for the amazing amount of food they contributed to our Thanksgiving baskets. We especially thank Brian Gallo, who ran his annual toy drive for us with the Goshen Police and Fire Departments and the Goshen Volunteer Ambulance Corps. We also send special thanks for helping with our toy drive to the Goshen Knights of Columbus and the Goshen Girl Scouts. We thank the BOCES staff for the food drive that they ran for us, as well as the GIS teachers for their reminders to students to participate in Youth Ending Hunger Club activities. Last but not least, we thank Principal Jason Carter for his ongoing support of our efforts. We were privileged to have Mr. Carter, along with Mrs. Kimiecik, at our last meeting. It was very inspiring for our members to have them attend.

You may have noticed a “new” advisor at our meetings recently. We have been fortunate enough to have club founder Regina Botens present at the last 2 meetings and basket deliveries. For those of you who don't know, Ms. Botens was the fourth grade teacher at GIS who was instrumental in getting her student, Luisa Matalucci, to write the grant that funded the beginning of the Youth Ending Hunger Club and food pantry. Ms. Botens is a wealth of knowledge on the work of the Hunger Project that she was trained in, and in turn she has trained our advisors and members over the past twelve years. She moved to North Carolina five years ago, but she is back in the area and will be helping out with our meetings and activities.

Our current drive for this school year is our annual toiletry collection. In addition to our ongoing request for nonperishable food items, we ask, if you are able, to send in shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, deodorant, paper products, body lotion, band aids, mouthwash, new brushes and combs, and the like. These items will go out in our spring baskets.

As a reminder, we do accept baby items—baby food, formula, diapers, wipes, etc. Any donated items may be left in the front lobby of Goshen Intermediate School, in the boxes provided for our club.

Our next big event is the Goshen Community Dinner, which will be held at St. James Episcopal Church on Saturday, February 25. Often this Ecumenical Dinner serves as a life-changing event for the children, as they see first-hand the people they are helping. They also have a great time setting up for the dinner, serving, and cleaning up afterward. It makes them feel very grown-up to be able to serve adults, practice their manners, and talk to people that they haven't met before.

Please plan on joining us on Saturday, February 25. Set-up is at 4:30 p.m., serving at 5:30, and cleanup after that. We welcome main courses including meat, vegetables, salad, bread, juices, fruit, and dessert. If any of the Girl Scout or Boy Scout troops would like to make centerpieces, that would also be appreciated. If you did not receive the notice at our last meeting, you may send in a note, to Mrs. Dropkin, regarding what item you would like to send in and whether you or your child will be able to help with setup, serving, or cleanup.

Our next meeting is Friday, February 3; parents are welcome to attend. We will be discussing upcoming events. At this time, students can hand in their permissions slips and commitment for the food they'll be contributing to the Ecumenical Dinner.

As always, GIS students should bring in a signed permission to attend this meeting.

Thanks for your consistent generosity to our club and to our mission to end hunger.

Sincerely,
Youth Ending Hunger Club