THE COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY AT ST. MARY'S MOHEGAN LAKE

The Community Food Pantry at St. Mary’s Mohegan Lake is a “grassroots” all volunteer staffed service that has been in operation 45 years.  People in our neighborhood and surrounding area hear about us through word of mouth, social media or by referral through religious, school or social service organizations.  Besides providing emergency and supplemental food, we provide nutritional, health, legal and voter registration information as well as referral sources to meet other basic needs.  When available on site services are offered by representatives from different area resources.

We ask our guests to fill out a registration form that requires proof of residency.  All information provided is confidential.  No one is turned away if they are in need and we do provide residents outside our neighborhood and surrounding area with information about food programs available to them.  The Community Food Pantry is a self-select pantry, serving 3 meals for 3 days for a family of four.  Food items for that day are on display so that our guests may make choices.  Frozen meats, poultry and/or fish are part of the weekly distribution.  At least once a month fresh produce is available through Feeding Westchester.  The pantry also receives seedlings for our onsite garden and produce during the growing season from Hilltop Hanover Farms, a Westchester County Environmental Education Farm located in Yorktown.  The pantry has its own Community Garden on the grounds of St. Mary’s.  The garden is maintained by volunteers and small amounts of produce harvested from the garden are distributed at the pantry as they are picked.  The Yorktown Garden of Hope donates produce during the local growing season as do local gardeners. 

Three times a year during major holidays, we provide the fixings for special meals for families and individuals.  At Christmas and Easter gifts are provided for dependent children.  School supplies for dependent school age children are distributed at the beginning of each new school year to help assure a good start.  Each fall the pantry holds a winter coat distribution of donated gently used winter apparel.

Our guests not only come for food, but to find a friendly face, someone who knows their name and listens if only for a brief moment.  Over the years the numbers of households that we serve has increased.  We are see more households where there is at least one adult working, but they still cannot make ends meet.  We are continuing to see a rise in our Hispanic population, our elderly, the disabled and veterans who are finding their incomes stretched to the limits.  

Not only does The Community Food Pantry offer emergency and supplemental food assistance to our neighbors in need, the pantry offers the opportunity to fulfill community service for our youth who need it for school, church/synagogue/mosque or civic organizations requirements.  The local judicial system also refers folks to us so they can complete community service hours.

Volunteers are always welcome and come from all walks of life and all ages.  The Community Food Pantry is truly an integral part of the Mohegan Lake and greater Yorktown/Cortlandt area including the Lakeland School District.

Hours of Operation: Every Saturday Morning – Setup starts at 7:30 am, Distribution is from 9:00 to 11:00 am.  Clean-up is completed no later than 11:15.  Pre-packed emergency bags are available during the week, call 914-528-3972 to arrange for a pick up.