adopt_a_programThe Food Bank developed Adopt-A-Program to help agencies with their vital work of feeding those in need. This program establishes lines of credit for member agencies to offset their shared maintenance contributions and co-op orders. These credits enable programs to secure more food for their clients.

Member agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, etc.) contribute a shared maintenance fee of 16¢ per pound for some of the donated items they receive from the Food Bank. This fee is not a charge for the food, because the food is donated. Rather, the fee helps offset some of the costs associated with transporting, storing, and shipping the high volumes of food that the Food Bank handles each year (15 million pounds in 2018, throughout 6 counties of the Hudson Valley).

AAP donors may select specific agencies to support or allow the Food Bank to select agencies most in need. Lines of credit for recipient agencies are established in the computer software, and orders are paid by the donations put on account for each program. Statements are mailed to fiscal officers each month, with Adopt-a-Program appearing as a payment on behalf of that agency. Copies of orders are kept on file at the Food Bank’s main office in Latham.

The biggest benefit of the Adopt-a-Program campaign is that it stretches the food buying power of the agencies because the food available from the Food Bank costs less than the retail level. Quite simply, agencies get a bigger bang for their buck at the Food Bank. Supporting agencies via the Food Bank is an efficient use of resources.

To support the AAP program in general, or a program of your choice in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan or Ulster County, send a check made payable to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, and indicate if your gift is for a specific program or the AAP pool.

For more information, please call 845 534-5344 or fill out the form below.