Westchester, Hudson Valley restaurants take part in $25M state program

Restaurant operators who have a presence in Westchester and the Hudson Valley are among the 215 statewide that have been approved to take part in a $25 million state program designed to deliver 200,000 meals to New Yorkers in need through the end of the holiday season.

It”™s known as the Restaurant Resiliency Program and is under the purview of the state”™s Department of Agriculture and Markets.

While performing a community service, the program also benefits participating restaurants by helping them financially as they continue to face challenges due to the Covid pandemic. It provides funding to New York’s network of food banks and emergency food providers to purchase prepared meals from the restaurants and deliver them to families in need.

“The Restaurant Resiliency Program exemplifies the power in working together to overcome economic challenges with each meal delivered and every new restaurant that participates,” according to Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association. “We look forward to continuing to work with state officials to ensure sustained and long-lasting support for both the restaurant industry and all New Yorkers.”

Joel Berg, CEO of the organization Hunger Free America, said, “This is a great way to simultaneously feed Hungry New Yorkers and help struggling restaurants to stay in business.”

Typical of the participating restaurants in Westchester and throughout the Hudson Valley are:

• Fireside Holdings LLC  of Monsey, which serves communities in Rockland, Orange and Westchester;
• AJ’s Burgers in New Rochelle, serving the Bronx, Dobbs Ferry, New Rochelle, New York, Ossining, Pleasantville, Port Chester, Tarrytown, Valhalla, White Plains, Yonkers and Brewster in Putnam County;
• Burger IM in Dobbs Ferry, which is providing meals in Dobbs Ferry, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Pleasantville, Tarrytown, Valhalla, White Plains, Yonkers and the Bronx;
• Forage and Gather Market from Mountain Dale, serving communities in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties;
• Frozen Yogurt Co. of Larchmont, serving Larchmont, Dobbs Ferry, Hartsdale, Mamaroneck, Manhattan, Mount Kisco, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Tarrytown, Valhalla, White Plains, Yonkers and the Bronx;
• Chick ‘N Chuck in Monsey, serving all cities in Rockland County;
• Cider Bros Roadhouse in Red Hook, which covers Dutchess, Columbia, Greene and Ulster counties;
• Oak and R Tipsy Taco Bar in Mount Kisco, providing meals in Westchester.