News
October 28, 2015All Are Welcome To Sicm’s 2015 “Harvest For The Pantry”
Schenectady Inner City Ministry is holding its Eighth Annual fundraising dinner event to benefit the emergency food pantry. On Sunday, November 8, “Harvest for the Pantry” will take place from 4 – 7 p.m. at First Reformed Church of Scotia, 224 North Ballston Avenue. The event will feature a homemade dinner, silent auction and a pick-a-prize game. Dinner choices this year include chicken, beef or vegetarian options. Tickets are available at the SICM Office, 1055 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady, for $30.
The SICM pantry is the largest pantry in the Schenectady area, providing over 60% of the temporary and emergency food given out to people in need in our community. The effects of the economy have led to dramatic increases in the number of households needing food assistance (In 2014, more than 50,000 people received emergency food provisions to feed them for 3 days; a total of 451,021 meals were provided). At the same time, we have seen a decreased ability by some traditional sources to provide the additional financial support to meet the increase in demand, and are therefore appealing for support.
At last year’s dinner we served almost 200 people, and we were able to raise over $20,000 from the Harvest for the Pantry event, and our hope is to raise $25,000 this year to close the shortfall. All of the funds donated will be used to buy food at the Regional Food Bank at reduced prices.
Items for the silent auction and pick-a-prize include a week at Camp Fowler, an overnight stay at the Marriott, a long weekend at an Adirondack cabin, gift certificates to local restaurants, and tickets to performances at Schenectady Light Opera Company and Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, as well as jewelry and handcrafted items.
The SICM Food Program is supported by many, including the NYS Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program; Reformed Church World Service; Stewart’s; WGY Christmas Wish, the GE Foundation; Emergency Food and Shelter; Concerned for the Hungry; CROP Walk; MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Domestic Hunger Program, and many congregations, individuals, corporations, and civic groups.
The Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM) is an ecumenical partnership of 50 congregations founded in 1967. SICM undertakes programs of joint service and witness with and on behalf of congregations in the areas of both social service and social justice.
