Labor members are supporting a Capital Region food bank ahead of the holiday.
The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York received a tractor trailer full of food Friday, part of an effort by local unions to support the needy. CEO Tom Nardacci says unions make the food bank possible.
“They’re part of our life here, and part of the things we do every single month here. The carpenters, part of their apprenticeship program, there’s a requirement to come here. But even without requirement, they’d still show up. So we have that, close, close relationship,” Nardacci said.
Mark Emanatian, Director of the Capital District Area Labor Federation, says food banks themselves are in need of help.
“We said, how do we help this thing now that we've stopped doing these food distributions? What do we do next? And so, someone came up with a bright idea to try to get everyone to fill this truck and everyone that standing here helped on that,” Emanatian said.
The efforts were part of the federation’s month-long food drive.
Natasha Pernicka is Executive Director at The Alliance for a Hunger Free New York and The Food Pantries for the Capital District.
“We work with 70 food pantries here in the Capital Region. Last year, about 70,000 people turned to food pantries, that's the highest number of people we've ever seen. This year, our service levels are up 15% over last year,” Pernicka said.
Congressman Paul Tonko, a Democrat from the 20th District, says the food bank is a vital service for some two dozen counties.
“This is a unique entity that allows us to share the resourcefulness of our neighborhoods, our produce our food, making certain that everything that's available, is shared with the community,” Tonko said.
Tonko says he’s fighting in Congress for food program funding, and facing pushback.
“They tell me on the floor, ‘if your district wants to eat, if your constituents want to eat, tell them to get a job, Mr. Tonko,’ and they not only have a job, they may have two or three jobs, and they still don't make ends meet. So don't tell me about the integrity of those I represent,” Tonko said.
Paul Nylin of IBEW Local 236 says collaboration is key.
“I think it's important that community leaders, elected leaders, union members, unions across our communities, they really stepped up to the plate. And, you know, we're lending a helping hand so you know, people don't go hungry. This holiday season and moving forward,” Nylin said.
Gary Cunningham is a retired steelworker and member of United Steel Workers Local 9265. He says unions help keep families afloat.
“There’s a lot of union members that have large families and or maybe they're a single income family, too, you know, I come from a single income family, my father was the sole breadwinner in the family back in the day. So you know, you have to work harder and the dollar is stretched even beyond, you know, what it used to be,” Cunningham said.
But, Cunningham says, without a union job, those families would go under.
Christine Connolly is a recent retiree and food pantry volunteer.
“This is something that's really important to me, that makes sure that people you know who are in need of food can get it. And it's very easy to sign up. The people are great, the volunteer coordinators are amazing. They jump right in there with you, they don't stand there and watch you do stuff. They're right in there with you. Everybody is always willing to help each other,” Connolly said.
Connolly says she helps because she recognizes she’s privileged to have enough.
“I can't imagine what it's like for anybody to not have food it's I don't give it a second thought when I go to my pantry or my fridge or my freezer to just get something and not everybody you know has that luxury you know you see it more and more all the time especially you see things on the news how expensive food is,” Connolly said.
Connolly says it's also a good social activity, especially after the isolation of the pandemic.
“I come here every Tuesday. We all, it's, it's typically like a regular group of people, we all tend to know each other. We'll go to lunch, if we're doing a morning and afternoon shift. And not even if we're doing a morning, afternoon shift. Sometimes we just go to lunch together and you get to know people. And at the same time, you know, we all have the same goal in mind is to you know, check the dates, get the food out to people who need it,” Connolly said.
More information about the Regional Food Bank can be found here.
