FeedHV, Red Hook Reponds Collaborate For Food Rescue At Fair

RHINEBECK, NY — Amid the flurry of activity as the Dutchess County Fair closed on Sunday night August 27, a team of volunteers from Red Hook Responds fanned out across the fairgrounds to collect excess food products from vendors. This was the second annual collaboration between Red Hook Responds and FeedHV to collect viable but unserved food products for distribution to agencies with food assistance programs.

Working until around 10:00 pm that night, the volunteers circulated with coolers, and loaded the trays and bags into a trailer which headed back to the cold storage at Red Hook Responds, and then for distribution to agencies. The group collected over 670 pounds of a variety of food products.

Administered by Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation (HVADC), FeedHV is a regional food rescue and harvesting network operating throughout Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Columbia, Greene, Putnam and Sullivan counties. It links donors of prepared, but unserved, food and fresh produce with nonprofits and food assistance programs. Through an app-assisted network of food donors, volunteers and feeding agencies, FeedHV facilitates the harvesting, processing and distribution of locally grown or produced agricultural products, shelf-stable food donations and prepared nutritious foods. Among the donors are restaurants, farms, food makers, stores, hotels, institutions and universities – and now the Dutchess County Fair. The food assistance programs include food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

At the conclusion of the Fair, 11 Red Hook Responds/FeedHV volunteers spread out across the fairgrounds to collect excess food products from vendors who had previously been canvassed earlier in the week and indicated that they may have donations.

“Building off last year’s collection, we received a nice reception from the food vendors when we canvassed them, and who were well aware of the end-of-Fair rescue,” said Jeung-il Tsumagari, former Executive Director, Red Hook Responds, who acted as the FeedHV coordinator this year. “It’s hard to gauge what the true donations will be at the end of an event such as the Fair, since the vendors’ inventories are affected by so many factors, including weather and attendance. We were very pleased to be able to collect slightly more than we did in 2022,” she continued.

In all, 16 vendors made donations, which included various produce (lettuce, corn, potatoes, garlic, scallions, cucumbers, lemons, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onions, peppers, broccoli), prepared food such as rice and beans, chili, pizza, vegetables, and empanadas; various breads and rolls, deserts, cheese, dressings, condiments, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and cooked meats such as beef, chicken, Gyro meat, and sausages.

“The success of the event is a testament to the good people of Northern Dutchess, from the Dutchess County Fair staff and vendors, to the volunteers from Red Hook Responds. This type of food rescue event requires coordination, dedication and a commitment to save food for those in need. We cannot thank all who participated enough for the work they did as the fair ended, and made this our second success with the Fair,” said Mary Ann Johnson, Deputy Director of HVADC.

Back at Red Hook Responds, the donations were being organized for distribution, and in the coming days, FeedHV volunteers also transported items to is receiving agencies, including to Hope on a Mission and Hudson River Housing in Poughkeepsie; and Peoples Place, Darmstadt Shelter and Seasoned Gives in Kingston.

Volunteering for the Red Hook Responds teams was a family affair, much as it was in 2022. Among the crew were three generations of the Beck family returning for their second time volunteering at the event, and Tim and Madison Curry who joined the team this year.

“I am so pleased that we were able to once again work with FeedHV and get product to the Hudson Valley food banks and people who can use it. We have had other Fairs pick up on the idea and are pleased to part of this grass roots effort. It is truly a testimony to teamwork! It could not be accomplished without the dedicated people involved, from the organizers, to the collectors, to the very Fair vendors themselves,” said Deborah Aschmann, Concessions, Vendors & Partnerships, for the Dutchess Country Fair.

This year’s Dutchess County Fair featured approximately 100 food vendors across the fairgrounds, including the Grange, 4H and Midway areas. However, many are not suited to participate in a FeedHV collection, such as those whose primary business is to serve alcoholic beverages or frozen or other confections.

To learn more about FeedHV, its donor and volunteer programs, visit www.feedhv.org. To become a food donor, contact [email protected]. To make a monetary donation to FeedHV, visit https://www.feedhv.org/donate-today.