PANTRY GETS AWARD, GRANT MONEY
By Dan Rivoli
Posted by Our Town on December 9, 2009 · View Comments
With the city’s unemployment rate above 10 percent, food pantries are serving more people on less cash. But Yorkville Common Pantry, at 8 E. 109th St. between Fifth and Madison avenues, got good fiscal news for the holidays.
The Robin Hood Foundation honored the pantry with its annual “Heroes” award and a $50,000 grant.
Last year, the pantry, the largest single-site food provider, saw a 19 percent increase in meals served. The year before, meals served increased by 18 percent.
Stephen Grimaldi, the pantry’s executive director, expects the trend to continue this year. This makes the grant that much more crucial, as the primary source of funding—private donations—are down.
“It’s a double whammy to provide an increase in meals with less money,” Grimaldi said. “Fifty thousand dollars will clearly go to provide food to serve the increased number of people seeking our services.”
The Robin Hood Foundation also honored Halana Richardson, a 44-year-old mother of three, whose husband was murdered. Yorkville Common Pantry provided food services and programs for Richardson, a first-time visitor to a food pantry. She will soon start a teacher’s assistant program at City College.
