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

I grew up in Peekskill, New York, a small city where a lot of people work hard but still struggle to afford basic needs like food and housing. Peekskill is a lower-income area, and growing up there, I saw many families, sometimes even my own, go through hard times where the pantry can help out. For families going through tough times, the food pantry is a real source of supporting families. Growing up around that in my community made it known to me at a young age what hunger is and how it affects families. That experience stayed with me. It helped me understand how important it is to have a safety net, especially when you’re trying your hardest and still falling short.

From a young age, I spent a lot of time volunteering at the local food pantry with my Nana. She has always believed in helping others, and the food pantry was where had begun. At first, when I went with her, I didn’t fully understand the impact of what we were doing. I thought of it as just something to stay occupied on weekends. But as I got older and started to pay more attention, I saw how important the pantry was to the people who came in. I also began volunteering myself and started by restocking shelves, organizing donations, packing bags, and helping carry items out to people’s cars.

The people who came to the pantry shared similarities to me: families with kids, elderly people on fixed incomes, people who had recently lost their jobs. Seeing this opened my eyes. Hunger, I learned, doesn’t always look the way we expect. It isn’t always visible. Some people wore nice clothes or drove cars that looked new, but they were still struggling to afford food. Others were embarrassed or shy when they came in. That’s when I learned the importance of treating people with dignity and kindness. My nana taught me to always make sure everyone felt welcome. She never judged anyone, and that attitude taught me a lot. I realized that being kind and respectful is just as important as giving out food. Everyone deserves to be treated like a human being, no matter what their situation is.

Helping at the pantry made me feel good, not just because I was doing something nice, but because I was supporting the same community I grew up in. I was helping people who were just like me . It wasn’t just about service hours or doing something “good.” It gave me a sense of pride and purpose. Volunteering became something I looked forward to because I knew it would make a difference.

Over time, my view of hunger changed. I began to understand that hunger isn’t just about not having enough food. It’s about deeper problems like low wages, high rent, expensive medical bills, and limited access to healthy groceries. Many of the people who came to the pantry had jobs, but they still couldn’t make ends meet. That made me realize that hunger is not caused by laziness or bad choices. It’s caused by unfair systems that can hold people behind. That was a big shift in my thinking. I used to think that if people just worked harder, they would be okay. Now I know that’s not always true. Some people work as hard as they possibly can and still need help.

This experience has shaped the way I think about ethics, what's right and wrong and what kind of person I want to be. I now believe that access to food is a basic human right. No one should have to go to bed hungry, especially in a world where there’s more than enough food to go around. Locally, my experience made me care more about helping people just like me in my own community. I’ve become more aware of how many people deal with food insecurity and rely on the pantry showing how important it is to support programs like the food pantry. It also made me more thoughtful about things like food waste, and how much perfectly good food is thrown away every day while others go without.

Globally, hunger affects people in different parts of the world in similar ways as our community. I learned more about hunger in other countries, how it connects to poverty, war, and climate change. Even though I haven’t traveled much, I’ve started to see myself as part of the bigger picture because hunger is not just a local issue or a national one, it's a global challenge. That encourages me to want to be part of the solution, and even help out with small actions like in my community by volunteering for the food pantry..

Most of all, growing up around hunger and volunteering to fight it has taught me the importance of empathy. I’ve learned that small acts of kindness like packing groceries or offering a hand carrying bags to their car can go a long way. I’ve also learned that it’s not about being a hero or fixing everything by yourself. It’s about showing up, doing your part, and treating people with respect and kindness. These are lessons I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

In the future, I hope to keep working on solutions to hunger, whether it’s through volunteering, raising awareness, or supporting better policies. I want to be someone who stands up for fairness/equality and helps create a world where everyone has what they need. Hunger has changed the way I think not just about food, but about our world and what it means to be human and have a purpose. It showed me that helping others isn’t just something you do when it’s convenient. It’s something you do because it’s right.

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In a world where fast food and snack advertisements are constantly flooding our screens,promising us an abundance of cheap and convenient choices, it’s not surprising that many overlook and forget the millions of families out there that view even the smallest of meals as a luxury—a luxury that my family knows all too well. When my parents first moved from Jamaica in an attempt to escape poverty, all they could bring with them was hope and a little me into this world. We lived in a single-bedroom apartment at the time, and while these memories are quite fuzzy, I do recall both my father and mother oftentimes working overnight shifts, to ensure that both a roof remained over our heads and at least something was on our plates. Those early experiences never left me, and I believe it was for the better, as memories of struggle and sacrifice have evolved into a passion for commitment to service, where I hope to support other families the way mine always found a way to support me. 

My first real experience with combating the issue of hunger was at a soup kitchen event back in 6th grade, where I volunteered under the My Brother’s Keeper club of Mt. Vernon. At first, I was just excited to be a part of something that felt so important—an act of service for those within my community! But the one thing I couldn't seem to grasp about the situation was a quote my MBK mentor shared with us as we stood outside of the building: “Hunger wears many faces.” Foolishly, the younger me began to think how in the world could hunger be represented by a face, if it’s a feeling in your stomach, but I would soon understand what he meant as I began working inside. Every person whom I handed a plate to was different—some being the elderly, some being parents with children by their side, and even some teenagers who appeared to be not much older than me. And yet, despite all their differences, they all shared the same quiet look of gratitude behind every one of their expressions. That day, I realized how prevalent hunger truly is. It wasn’t just some unlucky curse that burdened my family for quite some time, it was a common issue that affects millions of people, all from different walks of life. It completely shifted my perspective; rather than viewing it as a misfortune, I instead saw it as a systematic issue—one that’ll require more than just my singular contributions, but the collective efforts of everyone within our communities.

Around a year ago, I was assigned a group project with a couple friends, with the task of research organizations focused on healthcare, starvation, and other humanitarian related issues. While conducting my research, nothing in particular caught my attention, until I came across an organization that frequently collaborated with my very own high school, the Tzu Chi Foundation. Tzu Chi is a global humanitarian organization that’s been rooted in service since its first appearance back in 1966. As the days went by I found myself more-and-more inspired by their work, from distributing hot meals to disaster survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, providing rice to drought-stricken villages in Africa, and even helping build sustainable farming programs in underserved regions. Their holistic approach has become a global wide effort that not only inspired millions of new volunteers, but also taught many like myself that hunger means more than just providing food—it’s about restoring dignity, addressing the root causes of this issue, and creating strong support systems that can one day allow those facing hunger, to thrive.

One final lesson hunger has taught me is never to be ashamed to ask for help. Growing up, I watched my parents humbly take what assistance they could receive—not because they were weak, but because they cared about our family and were willing to persevere. That humility, that weakness as strength, I clung to. I've learned requesting assistance is not a failure—it's an act of hope. And that's why I'm seeking to apply for the Community Food Pantry at St. Mary's Scholarship. I carry with me, as I embark on a study at New York University, not merely my experiences, but a commitment to turn them into purpose. The award would not only fund my studies, but allow me to carry on this cycle of service that has defined me from the very start.

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Every year in the spring Lakeland West Girl Scouts hold a food drive to benefit the pantry.  Over the weekend the troops, leaders and parents stand outside local supermarkets and request donations for the pantry.  Who can’t resist a friendly smile and a simple ask to help a neighbor. The drives are always so successful and always help restock the pantry shelves after the winter and holiday giving.  During COVID to our surprise, Lakeland West Girl Scouts reached out and planned a drive in the year of uncertainty and challenge.  No longer did the scouts stand at the doors of supermarkets, but for this unusual time they were at the door of seven homes that accepted donations from neighbors, family and friends. The scout leaders and parents came with several carloads of donated goods from their earnest and honest collection.   “A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency." (Girl Scout Manual 1947). That certainly holds true for our Lakeland Girl Scouts West.

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Last Saturday morning, computer in hand, I arrived at the pantry to begin distribution.  Standing at the table was a young man of seven accompanied by his parents.  In the young man's hands was a coffee container.  John, one of the pantry's core volunteers, introduced the family.  They had been former neighbors of John's.  Well to my surprise, Craig was here to donate money to the pantry.  Craig had helped a friend collect money in the neighborhood for his local football league.  Craig had learned at his religious instructions class how important it was to help those in need where ever you may find them.  Craig, on his own, put two and two together and decided to collect funds for the "poor".  Craig and two friends brought out two orange cones and placed them in their cul-de-sac and began stopping cars, asking for contributions.  Craig's mom looked out the window and saw the boys, wondering what were they doing?  She went out and discovered that in their cupped hands they had already collected change.  Craig's mom was amazed.  She supported their efforts, brought them inside to make a poster and gathered a collection can.  She then accompanied them outside and stayed with them as they continued to complete the task they had set before them.  Craig and friends collected $70.  Now where to donate?  Craig’s mom recognized John in a picture from the pantry website.  Here's the place.  Giving help to those in our community.  So that is how I got to meet this amazing young man last Saturday morning.

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Youths Helping Out

Our young friends Trevor (13) and Travis (12) created a different kind of advent calendar, one that had them add a donation of food to a box for each day of advent. Advent this year was 26 days. Trevor and his brother hand delivered the boxes of food to pantry.  This was Trevor’s creative way of meeting community service requirements for his upcoming Confirmation. The family so enjoyed the experience that they hope to make it a family tradition.  We are so grateful and we have so much hope for the future because of kids like Trevor and Travis. Thank you boys!

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For nearly two decades my mom has been receiving aid from The Community Food Pantry at Saint Mary's Church, ranging from food assistance, school materials, books, clothes, turkeys and toys during the holidays. The assistance we received from the Food Pantry at Saint Mary's church and its volunteers was an important part of our survival.

At a young age I was unaware to the full extent of the help hundreds of families including my own received from Saint Mary's Church, I did not fully appreciate the assistance we were receiving, therefore I didn't have the gratitude and appreciation towards them and my community. One memory that I had as a child was that every time I would accompany my mom to the food pantry there was a sense of warmth and compassion when interacting with the volunteers each Saturday. Through the efforts of the food pantry and its volunteers I gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of kindness and

· compassion. I am now able to provide similar assistance to the people and families in need through my community service.

In 2021 I made the decision to offer my assistance to the community by volunteering at The Community Food Pantry at Saint Mary's Church in Mohegan Lake. My objective is to facilitate positive change by fostering understanding and compassion towards my community as well having an impact on the lives of individuals and families in need. Now that I have the

opportunity to volunteer at the food pantry that has helped me and my family, I can now provide similar assistance to the people and families in need. Through my efforts, I have learned the essence of how I can contribute and impact a positive healthy environment. My awareness of community issues and challenges have helped me appreciate the value of community service.

My involvement in the community has come from my experiences and my understanding of the value it brings to individuals. I now see the significance of community service. Also through this growth I have become a role-model at Peekskill High School. My involvement in my local food pantry has compelled me to seek similar growth experiences ranging from clubs, sports, honor societies, and community service.

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The volunteers and the people we serve are so grateful to all those who have stepped up so that together we can.