New Community-Led Food Pantry in Livingston Manor Fills ‘Choice Pantry’ Gap

Garbanzo beans, potatoes, even laundry detergent are a few items stocked at Calliope & Gael Grocers , a new community food pantry on Main Street in Livingston Manor.

Designed like a grocery store inside the recently retrofitted backroom of home goods store Life Repurposed , people can choose what pantry goods they’d like to throw in their grocery cart. The free pantry is a collaborative effort by Calliope-on-Main Foundation and Gael Roots Community Farm .

Grocer co-founder Iris Fen Gillingham said that she and co-founder Maria Bivins designed the space as a choice pantry to honor the area’s diverse dietary and cultural needs.

“We want it to feel like folks are coming and shopping at their local general store, kind of what general stores used to be like, where you come in, you get your diverse array of items, and you chat with neighbors,” said Gillingham.

The shelves are stocked with pantry staples like canned soup and cereals, as well as fresh vegetables and meats from local farms – an intentional choice to support and source from local farmers.

“In that process, we’re able to get food that is nutritious and abundant so that people can have good meals over these holiday months and going into winter,” said Gillingham.

About one in six Sullivan County residents receive SNAP benefits and receive an average monthly benefit of $202. While SNAP benefits have resumed for New Yorkers with the end of the government shutdown, Gillingham says the need for nutritious food is still growing.

“A lot of the people that were coming through were coming here because they needed support due to unforeseen expenses [and] challenging times right now,” said Gillingham. “It’s a lot of people working multiple jobs, a lot of people who have kids, a lot of people who are working really hard or are members of our community that, unfortunately, the systems are not working well for us right now, and a lot of rural areas are seeing the impact of those systems failing. We’re just trying to offer what we can.”

READ: Food Pantries and Resources – Radio Catskill Guide

Pantry efforts have ramped up around the county in recent weeks with many residents not receiving their SNAP benefits in time.

Calliope & Gael Grocers kicked off their soft launch opening on Nov. 11, serving at least twenty families on its first day and are currently establishing its weekly pantry hours for the long haul.

“We had to pull it together quickly but have a vision of having it here for as long as our community needs it,” said Gillingham.

Visitors can choose fifteen items every visit and can come twice per week.

Calliope & Gael Grocers will be open the following days leading up to the holidays: Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Nov. 20 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Thanksgiving meal pick up (must sign up by Nov. 20), and Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Image: Pantry shelves inside Calliope & Gael Grocers in Livingston Manor, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)