During the holiday season, Sacred Heart Greenwich gathers to address hunger in its communities. This year, Sacred Heart is partnering with Meals on Main Street (MOMS) to bring awareness of food insecurity into the school community. Mr. Bill Cusano, Executive Director of MOMS, and Mrs. Denise Cypher, Program Development Manager of MOMS, elaborated upon ways to provide meals to those in need. This ensures that people in Westchester County, New York will have food on their table during the holidays.
Meals on Main Street strives to eliminate food insecurity in Westchester County communities by supplying food to those who cannot be certain about their next meal. This organization’s mission is to find an accessible way to provide food to people who need it the most, according to static1.squarespace.com. Mr. Bill Cusano commented on how MOMS has impacted the community by fostering links among locals.
“MOMS is building relationships everywhere,” Mr. Cusano said. “We have grown our organization by hiring from within the communities we serve, we believe those who do the best job are your neighbors and friends. It’s all about sharing the love.”
MOMS developed mobile custom-designed pantry trucks and portable food hubs to aid those who suffer from food insecurity. The pantry trucks contain farm-fresh produce to park at senior centers and schools. Food hubs allow MOMS to package groceries, dry goods, produce, and frozen meals to deliver straight to people’s houses. These techniques help MOMS build a community through food because instead of people going to them, they are able to bring food to the people, according to static1.squarespace.com.
The Thanksgiving season allows families and friends to share a meal, creating memories around the dinner table. Hunger and food insecurity are stark realities for over 34 million individuals, casting a shadow on the gatherings that define Thanksgiving. It is a reminder that while some savor a plentiful feast, others face the challenge of putting a simple meal on the table, according to feedingamerica.org. Mr. Cusano and Mrs. Cypher shared how MOMS provides ways to alleviate food insecurity during the Thanksgiving season.
“For Thanksgiving, Meals on Main Street is teaming up with schools and organizations in and around Port Chester to prepare and distribute turkeys, chickens, and groceries so people can have something good to share with family and friends,” Mr. Cusano said.
“MOMS got in touch with the Superintendent of the Port Chester schools, and the principals of each school,” Mrs. Cypher said. “Through our request, they identified who needed food in each of their schools. This led to our putting 573 bags of food together – all the fresh food to make a complete family Thanksgiving meal. 60 bags went to Head Start in Port Chester, some to the five steps to five organization, meals to the senior center in OC. MOMS also supported the Ossining school children with 150 turkeys and 150 farm-fresh chickens for their Thanksgiving meals. We also provided two other pantries in Ossining with another 159 turkeys and 159 chickens. Additionally, we helped a number of other organizations throughout the county with turkeys and chickens, 100 turkeys to New Rochelle, some more to Tarrytown, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, and Somers.”
Sacred Heart juniors Ava Briganti, Emma Mulcahy, and Caroline O’Leary partnered with MOMS to establish the Meals on Main Street Club at Sacred Heart to bring awareness of food insecurity into the school community. Club members donated Thanksgiving-themed canned goods to MOMS and volunteered to package over 570 bags filled with groceries and canned goods to prepare a Thanksgiving meal.
Students in the MOMS club are hosting a bake sale November 30 and donating all of the proceeds to the organization. The donation will help them further their work in eliminating food insecurity and ensure that everyone in the Westchester County community can continue to enjoy Thanksgiving meals. Caroline shared insight on how MOMS impacts her and those in need.
“MOMS has profoundly influenced my understanding of food insecurity, showing me how food insecurity has a major impact on communities,” Caroline said. “MOMS impact extends beyond merely helping with food insecurity because they play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of community among the many people dealing with this challenge. By uniting those dealing with similar issues, MOMS provides a place for shared experiences and mutual understanding, thereby not only addressing immediate food needs but also establishing a supportive community for those affected by food insecurity.”
Featured Image by Ava Briganti ’25
