The annual coat drive, sponsored by Guardian Self Storage and managed by Susan DeKeukelaere, collected over 6,200 coats.

Volunteers from Abilities First, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Arlington High School, Dutchess Outreach Board of Directors, Girl Scout Troops, IBM-East Fishkill, IBM-Poughkeepsie, Marist Men’s Rugby Team, Marist TKE Fraternity, along with many individuals and families helped unload, sort and bag for two days in November.

The coats were distributed from five sites around the county including a new giveaway site at the Pleasant Valley Town Hall with volunteers from the Pleasant Valley Rotary.

Many people are having a hard time stretching their dollars to meet basic needs. Local food pantries and soup kitchens are experiencing significant increases in families needing assistance.

Over the holidays you will see appeals from different organizations: food pantries, soup kitchens and the Food Bank. There is a key difference between the Food Bank and food pantries/soup kitchens. The Hudson Valley Food Bank does not provide food directly to those in need.

Soup kitchens, using your donations, prepare/serve free hot meals to anyone who comes to their door. Food pantries provide multiday supply to individuals/families in need of free meals. They rely primarily on donations from individuals and community groups. The Food Bank is like a discount grocery store that gets grants, donations and buys food in bulk quantities to get super discount prices, then sells the food to qualified food pantries/kitchens.

In 2009, the United Way is no longer funding the pantries/ kitchens; it is now funding just the Hudson Valley Food Bank. I do believe it is wise to have the Food Bank that can leverage the consolidated buying power. However, if you donate food directly to a food pantry/ kitchen, there is no "middle man" charging them for your donated food. This makes a huge difference to the kitchens and food pantries expenses, at a time when budgets are being stretched badly and the number of clients is increasing. There are dozens of local food pantries, the Dutchess Outreach LunchBox, and Salvation Army Kitchen in Beacon that would appreciate your direct donations.

Susan DeKeukelaere, Pleasant Valley