To the Editor:

The purpose of this letter is simply to get our name out there, and to make sure the people of the Hilltowns know that we are here for them, in any way that we can be. Please allow us to introduce ourselves.

We are A Hug From the Hilltowns. In the beginning of this pandemic, when schools shut down, we collected food at the Berne Public Library with the goal of using it to feed students who were unexpectedly out of school for the week.

When Berne-Knox-Westerlo announced its plan to deliver meals to students, we decided to use what we had collected to feed local seniors. We had, almost without knowing it, started a food pantry and delivery service.

Our food pantry was too large for the library, which also shut down, and we moved our base of operations to the Helderberg Lutheran Church in Berne. Throughout the pandemic, we made deliveries of food to seniors and families who needed it, with the help of other volunteers, and the financial support of our community.

We received donations of food from our community, local food drives, and businesses. We continue weekly deliveries to any seniors or anyone who needs it.

Most recently, we have been picking up and delivering United States Department of Agriculture food boxes. Each week we go to a different YMCA food distribution and pick up anywhere from 300 to 400 boxes, depending on need. We load a box truck and bring the food boxes back to the parking lot of the Helderberg Lutheran Church, where we distribute them

Anyone is welcome to come and pick up for themselves, their family, and their neighbors, with no financial information required. We have regular volunteers who come and load up their cars and trucks to distribute all over the Hilltowns. We pick up for other local food pantries and organizations as well.

Each box contains 25 pounds of food, including a gallon of milk and some kind of cheese, pre-cooked protein, other dairy (yogurt or sour cream) and produce (apples, potatoes, and onions). We are very grateful to our friends at the YMCA for working with us on this! Freezers are full in the Hilltowns!

We are also working on getting a community garden off the ground, “Hugs Homestead.”  The committee has great things planned, and we can’t wait to make it a reality! It will be located on the grounds of the Helderberg Lutheran Church. Volunteers and donations of gardening supplies and seeds are most welcome. There are still plots available; sign up quickly!

We are in the beginning stages of our next chapter, “Hugs Helpers.” We will be working with members of the Hilltowns to start a new chapter to help our neighbors. We will be seeking people of all talents who can lend a hand to some of our friends who may need some repairs to their home, errand running, or just muscle to help move something for them.

Any donations of nonperishables or garden supplies may be left at the Helderberg Lutheran Church. There is a blue bin outside, beneath the food pantry box, which we empty regularly.

Food pantry hours are on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, but anyone who would like to stop in is welcome to as long as the church is open. The food pantry is located in the basement of the church.

If you would like to follow the group, we have a Facebook page called A Hug From the Hilltowns where we regularly post updates about when food box deliveries will be and anything else we might be up to. Feel free to contact us on Facebook messenger, by phone, or text.

Our goal is to help as many as we can, in any way that we can. We are always open! Be well!

Jean Guarino

Carrie Needham

Berne

Editor’s note: Jean Guarino is running for Berne town clerk on the Democratic line.