In August, the Elmsford-based nonprofit Feeding Westchester announced the arrival of Karen Erren as its new president and CEO. Erren arrived in the county with more than 20 years of experience, most recently as executive director of Florida”™s Palm Beach County Food Bank. Earlier in her career, she was development director at Arkansas Foodbank and executive director at Ronald McDonald House Charities.
In this edition of Suite Talk, Business Journal Senior Enterprise Editor Phil Hall talks with Erren about her mission to help mitigate local food insecurity.
What sparked your interest in joining the leadership team at Feeding Westchester?
“There”™s an old saying, ”˜Once a food banker, always a food banker.”™ And that has really been my experience. I spoke to a colleague this morning and she was telling me about a former colleague who”™d gone to a different industry but now she”™s back. There’s just something about this mission of providing food to our neighbors in need that is really compelling and once it gets a hold of you it’s just as a part of who you are. That has been my experience.
“I was very fortunate down there in Palm Beach County, Florida. But as Covid continued to unfold and as we had a view into what we might have to expect for fall, I wanted to be close to my two daughters, both of whom are in Queens. Fortunately for me, the president and CEO position here at Feeding Westchester became available.”
For the benefit of those who are not familiar with Feeding Westchester, how does your organization work?
“Feeding Westchester provides food across the county to our partner organizations, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other anti-poverty organizations. We also have direct distribution through mobile food pantries that go into neighborhoods in partnership with other organizations. And we have fresh markets where we set up similar to a farmers”™ market and provide fresh fruits and vegetables through our direct programs and through our partners. We get food onto the tables of our neighbors in Westchester County who need it.”
What is the level of food insecurity in Westchester versus other areas where you”™ve served ”“ and for the country as a whole, for that matter?
“Every community varies, but I”™ll tell you what is consistent in every market I’ve worked in across the United States: It can be very difficult for people to believe and understand that hunger is really pervasive. If you asked me where the hunger is in Westchester County, we have pockets that are deeper than others. But I would tell you that in many communities there is hunger in every neighborhood ”“ and sometimes there is hunger in every street, because the face of hunger is not who we would always assume it is.
“So many people feel shame around being hungry, so I think it is as important as the food itself for our partners, our organization and our direct distributions to provide care and let our neighbors know that we”™re here to help them through this time.”
From my own experience, I can share that my mother belongs to a senior center and a lot of the people who are part of the center rely on it for their meals. Are you working with senior centers across the region to ensure that the seniors are being properly fed?
“Feeding Westchester works directly with various senior-focused agencies such as housing sites and senior centers. In total we have 34 active seniors”™ sites, of which seven are senior centers. These partners receive a variety of food programs such as ”˜senior grocery,”™ which is a mixture of ready meal boxes, dairy, fresh produce and bread that gets sent directly to the senior site. And some centers also receive ”˜Green Thumb,”™ which is a weekly delivery of fresh produce.
“In addition, some sites have a prescriptive pantry program aimed at the senior population and support them with various health workshops as well.”
We”™re at a time of the year when there seems to be a greater than normal emphasis on food, particularly XL-sized meals. I would imagine that more people would be cognizant of organizations like yours and provide more donations both food and money during the holiday season. But after New Year”™s, what happens then? Do you find that it”™s harder to get financial and food donations?
“It is easier for us to think about our neighbors in need during the holidays ”“ there”™s just something about that tradition of coming together around tables filled with family and friends. But we also know that hunger is a 365-days-a-year period. And particularly right now, with this continued high unemployment rate, we see so many impacted.
“The other thing that I would add that is unique this year, of course, is Covid and the newest guidelines mandate no more than 10 people gathered together inside or out. We know that people who would have gathered around family tables this holiday season won’t, and that leads to increased isolation. And some of those folks depended on family and friends or food.
“So yes, people do think about their neighbors in need more frequently during the holidays. But the increased need now is so great and we feel great concerned about 2021.”
Let”™s talk about 2021: What is on your agenda for the new year?
“Feeding Westchester”™s fiscal year 2021 happened prior to my getting here, so I am currently looking through the end of calendar year 2021. We are learning from what was experienced in the first part of the pandemic and we have a layer of challenges that are specific to 2021.
“One of the food sources that has been of great value to food banks across the United States is the federal food program. There”™s a lot of conversation at the national level about what we”™re calling the food cliff, which is really a horrible and frightening term. We are concerned about what is going to happen to the food supply for food banks across the United States and, specifically, Feeding Westchester.
“We are focusing on ensuring that our infrastructure is as solid as possible and we are aware of all the variables that we need to watch very closely. We are as they say, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst ”“ but still hoping for the best.”
Is Feeding Westchester in touch with the Westchester business community for corporate sponsorship support? And how can the private sector help with any potential shortfalls in the food supply during 2021?
“Westchester County is so generous ”“ and specifically since March of this year, Westchester County corporations and individuals have demonstrated increased concern for those impacted by this pandemic. We are super-grateful for the depth of care.
“We have partners who have prioritized helping their neighbors in need through their support of Feeding Westchester, even though they have their own business struggles.”
