Cabot Creamery Co-operative Announces Reward Volunteers Winner

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has announced that FeedHV Community Food Network in New York’s Hudson Valley is the winner of a $2500 grant sponsored by CoBank. The grant is specifically for non-profit organizations that play an integral role in small communities as part of Cabot’s Reward Volunteers initiative. FeedHV won for volunteer hours that were tracked through Reward Volunteers, Cabot’s volunteer tracking & rewards system for those who generously give back.

FeedHV is a regional food rescue and recovery network in New York’s Hudson Valley, linking donors of fresh food and prepared but unserved food with food assistance programs. Among donors are restaurants, farms, food makers, stores, hospitals and universities, and the food assistance programs include food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. The program is administrated by Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation (HVADC) and gets food into the hands of those that need it, while diverting food from landfills. Year to date, FeedHV has diverted 103,000 pounds of healthy food from landfills, and turned it into over 86,000 meals for those in need.

Through app-enabled technology, a network of volunteers are signaled of donations when they are available and respond to transport the food. The network operates in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Columbia, Greene, Putnam and Sullivan counties.

“We are grateful for our committed volunteers and donors like Cabot. It is because of these food heroes FeedHV has been able to rescue 104,221 pounds of food in the Hudson Valley in the past year. It is our goal to serve the community by connecting local businesses with excesses food and feeding agencies, such as pantries and shelters, with volunteer food runners to reduce the impact of hunger and food deserts in the region. FeedHV is honored to continue to serve communities in the region during this COVID-19 pandemic, and contribute to food justice efforts by redirecting healthy, and locally grown food to agencies on the frontline of advancing food justice,” said Mary Ann Johnson, Deputy Director, HVADC.

Cabot has lead the efforts behind Reward Volunteers to celebrate and promote volunteerism across the United States and rewards those individuals and organizations that track the most volunteer hours.

Reward Volunteers is a free, easy way to track and log your volunteer hours for the good work you do in your communities for a chance to earn rewards in cash or prizes for your contributions. To find our more about Reward Volunteers Visit:

https://rewardvolunteers.coop

About Cabot Creamery Co-operative

Cabot Creamery Co-operative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and makes a full line of cheeses, Greek yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Widely known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is owned by the 800 dairy farm families of Agri-Mark, the Northeast’s premier dairy cooperative, with farms located throughout New England and upstate New York. For more information, visit: http://www.cabotcheese.coop.