Squash Hunger


Share your love of fresh, healthy produce with those who don’t get enough nutritious food.  Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG) Squash Hunger Program unites those who have surplus fresh produce to give with those in need. 

Since it's creation in 2004, the Squash Hunger program has collected more than 70,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables donated by members of the community which is brought to shelters, pantries, and soup kitchens by volunteers.

Extra produce can be donated at one of the eleven Squash Hunger collection sites in Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer counties. 

 
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Here’s How to Help

* Plant a row in your garden just for the hungry 
 
* Harvest and share the extra produce from your own garden

*
  Donate produce from your farm, your Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share or a farmer’s market

*
  When picking strawberries or apples pick some for the hungry

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When shopping for your family, buy extra produce to share.

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Bring the produce to one of eleven collection sites throughout the capital district.

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*2009 Drop off Locations*

Produce can be dropped off from July-October. The following drop off locations will be ready for your extra produce starting June 15th. 
 

Delmar Market Place
406 Kenwood Avenue
Delmar,
439-3936
 
Greulich's Market
3403 Carmen Road
Schenectady, 355-1530
 
CDCG
40 River Street
Troy, 274-8685
 
Honest Weight Food Coop
484 Central Avenue
Albany, 482-2667
 
Hannaford Supermarket
5 Maple Road
Voorheesville, 765-2629
 
Hannaford Supermarket
3703 NY Highway 43
West Sand Lake, 674-2846
 
Roma Importing Co
9 Cobbee Road
Latham, 785-7480
 
Kristy's Barn
2385 Brookview Rd
Schodack, 477-6250
 
Troy Riverfront Farmer's Market
Drop off Saturdays 9am-1pm
at the community table
 
Delmar Farmer's Market
(Bethlehem Middle School)
Drop off Saturdays 9am-1pm
at the community table
Troy Little Italy Farmer's Market
Drop off Wednesdays 3-7pm
at the community table
 

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Locations that have received produce from the Squash Hunger Program

  • Unity House, Troy NY

  • Capital City Rescue Mission, Albany NY
  • Salvation Army, Troy NY
  • Doors of Hope, West Sand Lake NY
  • Trinity Place, Albany NY
  • Concerns U, Rensselaer NY
  • St. James, Albany NY

  • Residential Center, Altamont House, Altamont NY
  • Booth Home, Schenectady  NY
  • Schenectady Inner City Ministry, Schenectady NY
  • YMCA food pantry, Schenectady NY
  • St. Catherine's Home, Albany NY
  • Equinox Shelters, Albany NY
  • Joseph's House, Troy NY

* Facts about Hunger in New York State *

·         Fifty percent of households receiving emergency food assistance include at least one employed adult

·         America’s Second Harvest estimates that more than 900,000 New Yorkers rely on Emergency Food Programs (EFPs), or soup kitchens and food pantries, each week.

·         According to the New York State Department of Health, the total number of meals provided by soup kitchens increased by 3.9 million pounds (61%) from 1987 to 1996.

·         An estimated 340,080 children in NYS are hungry, according to the Nutrition Consortium of New York State.

·         During the summer months, the problem is more acute when children, who are most affected by hunger, don’t have access to school-based meals

·         Nearly 80,000 of those using the Food Pantries of the Capital Region were infants or children, 86,000 were adults and 13,500 were seniors.  


 

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