Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens In Beacon
Last Updated: 11/05/2021
Sometimes you’re sitting next to someone, and they have no money for groceries. Or maybe you have no money for groceries. More people than you realize have no money for groceries, and live paycheck to paycheck. And if something goes wrong with the car, or the electric bill demands to be paid today, there might go the grocery money.
There is a lot of food out there. And a lot of people who want to connect people to food. This Guide helps connect people who live in Beacon with food donated by people to organizations who either donate the food in food pantries or to those who cook entire meals per day for others, in a soup kitchen.
What is a Food pantry?
A Food Pantry is where donated food sits on shelves for people to pick it up on certain times and days. Usually does not include expired items (the volunteers sort, and throw away) and some Food Pantries know about specific needs just for them, like if one Food Pantry says: “you know, we really need feminine hygiene things actually.”
What is a Soup Kitchen?
A Soup Kitchen is where volunteers cook the food for people people in need.
If you organize a food pantry or soup kitchen, or provide free meals in another way, please email this information to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com to be considered for this list.
Whether you are looking for a warm meal, canned goods, or friendly community, or you’re in a position to help by donating food or time, the following organizations in and near Beacon would love to see you. Contact organizers for information about the most up-to-date ways to participate.
Special Opportunities Going On now
Watch this space for active food collection drives for specific events.
Organizations Who Help At-Large
These organizations are connected with lots of other organizations and insider information on who needs what when. Sometimes they collaborate with each other on outreach projects. Your donation to them may impact different people who benefits from other programs listed below.
Beacon Mutual Aid
www.beaconmutualaid.com
This is a group who organized at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They buy groceries for people, help distribute en mass, and can connect people when they have odd questions. They aim to be helpful with everything. A Little Beacon Blog wrote about them here. You can help them by donating to them today:
Ask Your Question, Request Help, Donate http://www.beaconmutualaid.com/
Donate Now > Donations can be made via Venmo or their PayPal, which is: dara@riseup.net
Checks can be mailed to:
Mutual Aid Beacon
23 North Brett Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Check made out to: Dara Silverman with Mutual Aid in the memo.
Fareground
www.fareground.org
Fareground’s mission is to increase the access of food for all in Beacon and surrounding communities. They are a women-run food justice, anti-hunger organization, dedicated to nourishing the community by increasing access to healthy and affordable food by supporting and creating opportunities for delicious meals, education, and volunteer opportunities. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, they have taken on many projects, including packing “To Go” Grocery Dinners and coordinating with Beacon City Schools to have them delivered to district families. Fareground started and maintains the Tiny Food Pantries you see around town. More information on those is below.
Donate Now > Donation options include writing a check, shopping from their Amazon Wish List, Venmo, and more.
I Am Beacon
www.iambeacon.org
I Am Beacon is an organization founded by Reuben Simmons and is involved in several initiative, including scholarships, school supplies, turkey drives, food pantry coordination, and much more.
FOOD PANTRIES In Beacon, NY
The Beacon Recreation Department & Mutual Aid Beacon
The Beacon Recreation Department in conjunction with Mutual Aid Beacon who organizes volunteers, have been distributing pre-bagged groceries from Memorial Park. Stay tuned.
green teen x common ground farm
The Green Teens offer people in need access to a Free Farm Stand on at the Beacon Recreation Center at 23 West Center Street. Stay tuned! *Made possible by Common Ground Farm.
Beacon recreation
The Food Pantry for Beacon Recreation offers groceries on Wednesday’s with 2 locations: Memorial Park and Beacon Recreation Department. *Note that the food does go fast!
St. Andrew’s Food Pantry
And For St. Lukes
The Food Pantry for St. Andrews and St. Lukes, who work together, is at St. Andrew’s Church. Says Rev. John F. Williams, Rector: “We serve fresh, frozen and non-perishable (can/box) food and we are open to all Beacon residents. We are closed a few Sundays a year like the Sunday following Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter but are open almost all Saturdays.”
St. Andrew’s Church
15 South Avenue, Beacon
https://www.beacon-episcopal.org
How To Receive Groceries
Saturdays from 10am-11am
Serves Beacon residents only. Please bring proof of residency. This Food Pantry does receive assistance from New York State.
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Bring food to St. Andrews on Fridays at 10am-11am (this is the better day). Friday's are Packing Days.
You can bring food on Saturdays, but please come earlier at 9:30am.
Please don’t bring food that you don’t like, or that is opened or expired.
DONATIONS OF MONEY
Says Rev. John F. Williams, Rector: “Financial donations are the best as that allows us to purchase what we are short of at the time, but donations of canned and boxed food which are not out of date are also accepted.
Contact: Call 845-831-1369, or email saslecbeacon@gmail.com
Mail a check to:
St. Andrew and St. Luke Episcopal Church
15 South Ave.
Beacon, NY 12508
Make check out to: St. Andrew and St. Luke Church
Food Pantry At Beacon Recreation Center
From Open Arms Christian Ministries
This Food Pantry is for anyone, and does not require identification or proof of residency.
Beacon Recreation Center
via Open Arms Christian Ministries
23 West Center Street
Beacon, NY 12508
How To Receive Groceries
Saturdays from 10:30 am - 12 pm
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Contact: Call or email Keyna Gadson to make arrangements: 917-379-1638 or gadsdenkenya@gmail.com
DONATION OF MONEY
Contact: Call or email Keyna Gadson to make arrangements: 917-379-1638 or gadsdenkenya@gmail.com
Salvation Army's Food Pantry, Beacon Corps
Salvation Army Beacon Corps
372 Main Street
Beacon, NY
Please see below for information on how to donate food or money, or how a senior can access a free meal.
Springfield Baptist Church's Food Pantry
These meal and snack opportunities are for senior citizens (ages 50 & up)
Springfield Baptist Church
8 Mattie Cooper Square
Beacon, NY
http://www.centralhudsonba.org/Springfield-Baptist-Church.html
How To Receive Groceries
12 - Noon Last Saturday of Every Month. Walk up, pick up, and go!
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Contact: Deaconess Joan Cook about donating food: cjoanochorios@aol.com
DONATIONS OF MONEY
Contact: Deaconess Joan Cook about donating money: cjoanochorios@aol.com
Community Action Partnership For Dutchess County
10 Eliza St.
Beacon, NY 12508
845-452-5104 Ext. 204
This Food Pantry is located in the same building as (and behind) Antalek and Moore Insurance Agency. Information for how to access food and how to donate is still being gathered. Meanwhile, you can learn more about Community Action Partnership For Dutchess County here, and can make a general donation online here.
The Tiny Food Pantries
This Tiny Food Pantry was started by Fareground in June of 2016 at the Beacon Recreation Center. As of December 2017, there was another indoor location at the Howland Public Library. Since then, they have been supporting the development and installation of several others, including one at Binnacle Books, and Tompkins Terrace, an affordable housing apartment community in Beacon. One Tiny Food Pantry was designed and built by Rexhill, a local furniture design company. Two Tiny Food Pantries are in Wappingers Falls. As of November 2020, 2 more are in development, including one built by Jessica Wickham, a well-known woodworker and artist in Beacon.
Follow Tiny Food Pantry developments here:
Tiny Food Pantries on Facebook >
PS: Unrelated, but there is also a Little Free Library house in Beacon at Pohill Park, and at Stony Kill Farm.
Location 1: The Beacon Recreation Center
25 West Center Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Location 2: The Howland Public Library
313 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Location 3: Binnacle Books
321 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Location 4: Tompkins Terrace
194 Tompkins Terrace
Beacon, NY 12508
Groceries at this location are managed by the Pantry Manager at Tompkins Terrace. Once a month, a Free Marketplace is available to residents of Tompkins Terrace.
How To Receive Groceries
Walk up to the Tiny Food Pantry at any of the addresses listed above, and take what you need.
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Walk up to the Tiny Food Pantry at any of the addresses listed above, and give what you can.
Please only give food you love, and would eat yourself. Your favorite brands.
No expired food, or opened packaging.
Bathroom products are encouraged, like tampons and pads, as well as baby formula.
DONATION OF MONEY
Tiny Food Pantries are managed by Fareground.
Donation Details >
Castle Point Pantry For Veterans
41 Castle Point Rd
Castle Point Campus, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
Attn: Food Pantry
Pantry: (845) 831-2000, ext. 4164
(off of Route 9, on the way to Stoney Kill Farm)
For Veterans only. Each Veteran can collect 1x/month on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
How To Receive Groceries
Veterans will need to bring proof of their service, which can be their VA Card, DD214, or something else.
Veterans will be certified by a social worker, and then can begin collecting food.
Pick up food 1/month on a Tuesday or Wednesday, between 10am-2pm.
Bags will be provided, but Veterans can bring their own bags.
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
The Food Pantry prefers gift cards. They do not want checks, as the money may not get directly to that food pantry. If you have questions, call (845) 831-2000, ext. 4164 and ask for Jim Mullins.
Gift Cards: Send pre-paid gift cards to grocery stores, drug stores or Target/Walmart. This way, groceries and hygiene purchases can be made. Make a note on the envelope that it is for the Food Pantry.
41 Castle Point Rd
Castle Point Campus, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
Attn: Food Pantry
FOOD PANTRIES In Fishkill, NY
New Vision Church of Deliverance's Food Pantry
831 Route 52
Fishkill, NY
This food pantry serves fresh produce from Common Ground Farm. Says Common Ground: "Fresh produce is tough to find at food pantries because it is perishable, so it doesn't store as long as canned foods or dry goods. But of course, it is much healthier (and tastier). That's why we harvest that same day and deliver directly to our pantry partners." This pantry is in Fishkill, NY, and is a few doors from the diner, on Beacon's side of I-84.
11am Thursdays
Fishkill Food Pantry
From First Reformed Church
First Reformed Church - In The A-Frame Building as you enter Fishkill
1153 Main Street
Fishkill, NY (just before Route 9)
DAYS/TIMES - Pickups
Monday - Thursday 9am to 12pm
Tuesdays: open until 2pm
Contact for eating or for donating: To access the pantry, make an appointment by calling (845) 896-4546. Call the same number to donate or volunteer.
SOUP KITCHENS & Free Meal PROGRAMS
The Beacon Community Kitchen
LOCATION: Tabernacle of Christ A/G Church
483 Main Street
Beacon, NY
Facebook
In Care Of Multi-Services (ICOMS), which is also the Beacon Community Kitchen, is a 501(c)3 non profit community based organization. Beacon Community Kitchen is a subordinate program of ICOMS . They serve hot lunch and warmth to people of the Beacon/Adjacent Communities. All are welcomed! This soup kitchen served its first meal here. Several organizations pitched in at the start, including Common Ground Farm, Ella's Bellas (donated a household refrigerator under the commercial-grade stove and refrigerator were secured), My Bread Is Your Bread, Dutchess Outreach, Tabernacle of Christ Church A/G, and In Care of.
How To Receive Meals
All are welcome. There is no age limit.
DAYS/TIMES - Free Meals
Monday - Saturday 11am-12pm
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Amazon - Shop Their Wish List >
DONATIONS OF MONEY
ALBB is finding out this information.
Faith Temple Church
22 N. Cedar Street
Beacon, NY 12508
DAYS/TIMES - Free Meals
1st & 3rd Sunday
First Presbyterian Church
Welcome Table Soup Kitchen - Not Open At Moment
First Presbyterian Church (Not Operating Right Now)
50 Liberty Street
Beacon, NY
DAYS/TIMES Free Meals
Not Operating Right Now
Coordinator for receiving meals or for donating:
Rose Quirk: (845) 600-5389
Springfield Baptist Church
Seniors Feeding Seniors Ministry
The Springfield Baptist Church offers free meals and baked goods for seniors. The Servant Leader in the Hospital Ministry, Deaconess Joan Cook and her team extend warm greetings to visitors and also offer food pantry services to those in need.
Springfield Baptist Church
8 Mattie Cooper Square
Beacon, NY
DAYS/TIMES FREE MEALS
The last Saturday of each month at 12pm.
DAYS/TIMES BAKED GOODS
Every Wednesday
Coordinator for eating or for donating:
Penny Jackson: pjackson6@hvc.rr.com (845) 813-4093
How To Receive Meals
Saturday 12pm Meals - The Last Saturday of each month only
Wednesday 12pm Breads and Treats
Salvation Army Beacon Corps
372 Main Street
Beacon, NY
The Salvation Army Beacon Corps is in the church at 372 Main Street, which is in the middle of town across the street from the Yankee Clipper Diner. The soup kitchen is open to senior citizens only, where lunch is prepared for them, as well as recreational activities, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Important to the Salvation Army is helping people eat in groups for social interaction.
How To Receive Meals - Senior Citizens
Tuesday & Thursday, 11am-1:30pm - ON PAUSE DUE TO COVID-19
Says Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón, Corps Officer / Pastor: “We have a large Senior Program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Around 30 seniors come consistently, and lunch is always provided for them, along with the recreational activities.” This program is on pause now due to COVID-19 safety precautions.
Says Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón Corps Officer / Pastor for the Beacon location: “We love to serve our community, even in these unprecedented pandemic times where our Senior Program has been paused in order to keep our seniors safe. We have continued to feed this vulnerable community by delivering meals and groceries directly to them, as well as to veterans and other at-risk families and individuals. We are also helping families provide Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts to their families as well. If you’d like to help, text rescuechristmas to 91999, or contact us directly!”
How To Donate
DONATION OF FOOD
Says Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón, Corps Officer / Pastor: “To donate food directly to us, people can come at any time through our rear entrance, through the main parking lot. It is the entrance off of Fishkill Avenue, right in front of Double D’s Auto Works. The entrance is found underneath the stairs that lead to our gym upstairs. We always recommend getting in contact with Patti beforehand if it is a large donation so that we can make necessary arrangements and space in the pantry. We are actually very much in need of donations since more and more people in need are coming to receive services at our location, and we run out of items pretty quickly these days. The Food bank has also given us a much lower allocation than in past years because of more entities providing services in Ulster and Dutchess counties, so there is a lack of resources all around.
Contact: Patti Odell, Tuesdays/Thursdays: (845)831-1253 Patti.Odell@use.salvationarmy.org
DONATION OF MONEY
Texting/Online: If people would like to make a monetary donation to the Beacon Salvation Army, it is as easy as texting “sabeacon” to 41444. This will lead them to The Salvation Army website and to make a donation specifically to the Beacon location.
Mailing Of Check:
The Salvation Army Beacon Corps
372 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
Or to the PO Box at:
The Salvation Army Beacon Corps
P.O. Box 494
Beacon, NY 12508
DONATION OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDING KIDS IN SUMMER
The Beacon City School District used to have a Free Meals program, but funding was cut from the state due to demographic changes to Beacon at large. The kids who were eating in that program, however, did not change, and still benefited from the food.
Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón had been making food for children in need, and says of solving this problem: “We had been picking up the children from Tompkins Terrace and other low-income housing locations where free lunch was not being provided to receive a meal, until last summer 2019, when Beacon stopped the free lunch meal program. We would love to be able to provide the service, but we cannot do so on our own. We need help if we were to endeavor to do this in future. There is definitely a need for it in the summertime, but we just do not have the economic resources nor the manpower to do it on our own.”
