Easterseals NY Holiday Outreach a Success

“Community Outreach is a year-round activity of our program providing necessary food and goods to a wide variety of individuals,” said Mary Moran, Easterseals New York Executive Director of Early Childhood Development Programs. “Extensive community support has helped this initiative for more than seventeen years.”

This year’s holiday outreach, which took place on Monday, December 20th, provided goods to over 300 households, said Barbara Kuczyra, nurse and outreach coordinator for Project Discovery in Port Jervis. The goods were provided by a number of dedicated community business partners including Prime Time Meats, Shop Rite, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Cornell Cooperative, the Port Jervis Masonic Lodge, the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, and others. The effort was facilitated by volunteers from the Port Jervis Police Department and a dedicated core of volunteers who are always on hand to help out. Volunteers from the First Assembly of God church assembled over 200 gift baskets for the families that included toys, clothing, toiletries and other goods.

Despite the cold weather, people began lining up for the outreach event at 6 am. This year, due to the pandemic, over 44 boxes of food were delivered to the homes of vulnerable individuals. In total, over 8000 pounds of meat, 4000 pounds of dry goods such as pasta and bread, and a large amount of fruits, vegetables and dairy products were distributed to Port Jervis families.

“It seems like everyone in our community wants to do something to help,” Barbara said. “Someone came up to me and said that this allows them to have the whole family together for the holidays because there will be enough food. It was very touching. I want to thank our amazing volunteers and partners for making this happen.”