This team helps with food, school supplies, household goods, furniture, and emergency financial aid.
There is a “market” every Wednesday, 4 to 6 p.m. at Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, 30 Pine Grove Avenue, Kingston.
Families in need may call UIDN’s helpline, 888-726-7276. If no one answers, leave your request and contact information on voice mail. A volunteer will get back to you within 24 hours. Helpline and office volunteers are bilingual English/Spanish. We do our best to help those who speak other languages.
Volunteer needs
Assist at the Wednesday food distribution. Two available shifts: 12:30-3:30 p.m., receive deliveries, set up tables, sort food, and pack; 3:30-6:30 p.m., organize food stations, break down boxes for recycling, distribute food to families; and clean up.
Photo: Kim Touchette
Tuesday morning food pick up in Kingston. Boxes from People’s Place to be delivered to Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal. Hatchback or station wagon should be adequate; truck or van not required.
Coordinator for twice monthly food pick up at the Hannaford’s parking lot, Kingston Plaza. UIDN receives 2,500-3,500 pounds of food in 100-200 parcels from the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. The ideal volunteer will have a truck or van to help pick up the order and be willing to coordinate two to four additional volunteers with similar vehicles. It takes about two hours to load the vehicles, transport food to the Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, and unload boxes into the church hall or tents in the parking lot.
Volunteer with truck or van to transport furniture, such as beds, bureaus, tables and chairs, to a family home. The volunteer will also contact the family in need and set up a delivery time for the needed items. UIDN families, especially new arrivals, need household goods including furniture for their new homes.
If you can help with any of these, please complete UIDN’s volunteer form or email us.
More ways to help
Donate gently used items. Currently needed: mattresses and beds, strollers, dressers or bureaus, bicycles, shopping carts, and diapers (especially sizes 4, 5, and 6). We occasionally post needed items on Instagram or Facebook; please follow us there. If you have a mattress or other furniture to donate, please message us on Instagram or Facebook and include a photo.
Identify a source that might donate large quantities of cloth or paper bags. We use more than 200 bags each week.