​Family-To-Family Receives $10,000 Donation From Foodtown

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, NY — Family-to-Family, a nonprofit hunger and poverty relief organization, received a $10,000 from Foodtown in Hastings-on-Hudson.

Pamela Koner, founder and executive director of Family-to-Family, was told recently that the organization would receive an unexpected major donation the Hastings Foodtown.

“We are ecstatic and the money will go a long way. Because of the pandemic, the number of families seeking assistance has grown dramatically, as well as their need,” she said.

“The Estevez family and Foodtown have come through on a number of projects for us," Koner said. "This comes at a great time because we have doubled the amount of assistance we’re providing to families this year.”

The money, according to Bill Estevez, a Foodtown owner, was collected through the grocery store’s Round Up Your Change campaign, according to a spokesperson.

With coins in short supply this year, Hastings Foodtown shoppers were asked to round up their receipts to the nearest dollar.

At the end of the campaign, $7,800 was collected. Then the Estevez family owners Bill, John, and Robin — who also own 10 other stores in the Bronx and Westchester — decided to make it an even $10,000.

“Family-to-Family supports our neighbors in Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Yonkers, Ossining, and even sometimes on a national scale,” said Robin Estevez. “We were raised to be part of the community and to give back. It is our pleasure to help those in need as we consider our communities to be our families.”

Bill Estevez also reminds shoppers about their grocery stores’ Neighbors Serving Neighbors program. Shoppers can link their Foodtown Club Cards to a charity of their choice. The club card tracks the amount spent, and every month a check for up to 3 percent of the shopper’s purchases is sent to the charity.

Accepting the check from Robin Estevez was Family-to-Family Program Director Nancy Hennessee with Foodtown associates Rogger Castillo and Gary Hanke. To learn more about Family-to-Family, visit its website.

Hastings-on-Hudson Foodtown at 87 Main Street.