Monday, December 20, 2021, from 2 pm to 7:30 pm. (Rain-Snow or Shine) The JPC Walkers Free Food Giveaway Tuesday, December 21, 2021, from 3 pm to 6 pm. (Rain-Snow or Shine) Johnson Park Center Food Pantry, 1400 West Street , NY 13501
Contact: JPC Office from 1 pm to 5 pm (315) 734-9608
Utica, NY. The Christmas/Holiday season is a joyous time of the year. We celebrate with our families and friends sharing our love, providing hope, singing songs, and giving gifts. We have specially prepared holiday meals and delicious desserts. But many low-income families, seniors, and single individuals daily experience food insecurity and hunger. The holidays are challenging times caused by the coronavirus-COVID-19; full of stress, maybe only a wish and not a reality; seniors, single individuals, parents/caregivers cannot afford the food to feed their family the Christmas/Holidays Meals. It is just not easy for anyone to be surrounded by plenty of reminders that Christmas is around the corner.
The Holidays are about sharing and giving. A great way to help and to give is to others in need. Our community responds to the great need caused by “Food Insecurity and Hunger.” especially during the Holiday Season. With the generous support from the Food Bank of Central New York (FBCNY) and abundance of food donations from the Compassion Coalition, various Financial Donors-(government, private & organizations, and individuals) our fantastic volunteers, staff, and board, we will have the JPC Food Pantry Drive-Thru Free Food Giveaway for disadvantaged families, seniors and single individuals around JPC Sites in the 1400 Block of West Street, Utica, New York 13501 “Rain-Snow or Shine” on Monday, December 20, 2021, from 2 pm to 7:30 pm.
Starting on the corner of Arthur and West Streets, cars/vehicles will line up at the registration station. The Registration Personnel wearing facemasks will check all Participants’ JPC Food Pantry Card (JPCFPC). If you do not have a JPCFPC, the Registration Personnel will ask you to print your name and check the processed cards. If they find your card, they will give it to you. If the Registration Personnel does not see your card, they will direct you to the Intake Station. The Intake Personnel will check for the status concerning your JPCFPC. If needed, they will assist you in completing the required documents on-site to receive a JPCFPC. The number of households represented in each car will be placed on its windshield. Then you will drive up to each Food Station, where volunteers will put the food in your car/vehicle.
If you do not have a car/vehicle, please come to the JPC Food Pantry Walkers Free Food Giveaway on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, between 3 pm to 6 pm in the 1400 Block of West Street Utica, New York 13501 “Rain-Snow or Shine.”
A tractor-trailer full of food will be available to give to the community. Food items may include ground chicken, fish nuggets, pink salmon, beef stew, string cheese, rice, mashed potatoes, dry good box, corn, fresh produce, peaches, fresh fruits, apple sauce, cereal, bread, and more food items. A selection of Christmas Presents will be presented to all registered FP households.
During these challenging times of the pandemic, by fighting hunger and food insecurity, the JPC Free Food Giveaway helps families & singles to have food on their tables, be food secured, and be a stepping stone to self-sufficiency.
Please join us as we need additional sponsors, donors, volunteers, and media to make long-term commitments to fight hunger and food insecurity? You are unique to all currently making investments and partnering with JPC. JPC is so grateful and appreciative of your dedication to serving families, children, and single individuals in need. Thank you, Food Bank of Central New York (FBCNY), the Compassion Coalition, the Emergency FPleaseood, and Shelter Program (EFSP), CASA Imports, Candella’s Farm & Greenhouses, and the Mohawk Street Hannaford; Excellus Health Plan, Inc. Preswick Glen, Residents Association, The Bank of Utica, The Cree, Inc., Hartford Fire Insurance of the Benevity Impact Fund; the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties; the United Way of the Mohawk Valley; “Utica National Foundation Group, M&T Bank/Partners Charitable Fund, Mele Family Fund, Capraro Technologies, Inc. (CTI), All In For Vin Memorial Fund, Scalzo, Zogby, and Wittig Insurance Fund, Mandour Fund, Four Anonymous Donor Funds, the Mohawk Valley COVID-19 Respond Fund, all are Donor-Advised Funds at the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties;” the Key Bank, the NBT Bank; The Leslie R. Lewis ESQ Client Donor Donation, Stericycle Inc., Hospice & Palliative Care, JetNet, LLC; Dugan Donor-Advised Fund of the Charles Schwab; MVP Health; the Zonta Club; the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Supported Housing Program; the New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, NYS Supportive Housing Program, Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI); the Oneida County Youth Bureau, Traffic Diversion Program, Department of Social Services, the City of Utica Community Development Block Grant, the Emergency Solutions Grant, the HOME Program; First Baptist Church, St James AME Church, Unitarian Universalist Church, JCTOD Church & Seed of Hope. We received monetary and food donations from various donors, businesses, organizations, and individual supporters, the Oneida County Summer Youth Employment Program; our Fantastic Volunteers, the Utica NY AAA, JPC/JPA Staff & Shelter Program Participants, JPC Facebook Encouragers and Supporters; and Media Coverage from WKTV, WUTR, Spectrum News, the Utica Phoenix, the Observer-Dispatch, Rome Sentinel, 96.1 The Eagle, Bug Country 99.7 & 101.1, Talk of the Town 100.7, and American Town Utica.
We all at the Johnson Park Center look forward to you coming, and we celebrate together at the JPC Free Food Drive-Thru and Walkers Giveaway. Happy Holidays and have a Safe & Healthy New Year!
We will be on Christmas-New Year Break from Tuesday, December 22, 2021, through Sunday, January 8, 2022. The JPC Food Pantry will be open on Monday, January 10, 2022, from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Thank you so much for your continual support & Join Positive Change at Johnson Park Center (JPC)
