The Guilderland Food Pantry makes it official
“We are very grateful for all the food donations we receive from the community,” says Sue Hennesy, director of the Guilderland Food Pantry. Here she displays one of many boxes of disposable diapers that she bought with funds recently donated from Stewart’s as part of its “Holiday Match” program. Overall, Stewart’s customers donated $770,000 to the program and Stewart’s matched it, for a total of $1.5 million given to many not-for-profits in the area.
GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland Food Pantry will hold a celebration Wednesday afternoon, with board and town officials and volunteers, of its recent incorporation as a not-for-profit organization.
Sue Hennesy, who co-directs the pantry with her husband, Mark Hopper, said that incorporation will bring several benefits. First, she said, it will make it easier to be sure that the group’s accounting procedures are aligned with state and federal regulations. Since incorporating in December 2015, the pantry has already joined the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce as an LLC, and Hennesy feels that this brings the pantry more exposure.
Incorporation will also allow the organization to carry volunteer insurance, to better protect volunteers, “just in case anything ever happens to them on site.” And it will let the group provide tax-deductible receipts for monetary donations.
The group, which was formed in 1979, has four locations in Guilderland. The main one is at Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church, at 2291 Western Ave., which is staffed Monday through Friday, 9:30 to 11 a.m.
There are drop-off boxes at the Guilderland Public Library, at 2228 Western Ave; the office of chiropractor Kim Keeling, at 2021 Western Ave.; and the town hall, at 5209 Western Tpke.
Items most needed, said Hennesy, include paper products including paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper; peanut butter and jelly; and laundry detergent. People also like to receive unexpected luxuries, such as juice or coffee, Hennesy said.
