Senator Steve Saland Secures State Grant For Dutchess Outreach

The grant will be used to purchase new tables and chairs for the Lunch Box Program which provides free mid-day meals Sunday through Friday for the unemployed, the homeless and those who do not earn a living wage. Evening meals are also served the last week of each month to help those families whose monthly food money is running low.

Senator Saland secured a $30,000 grant in the 1997-1998 State Budget to renovate part of the Family Services Center to relocate the Lunch Box Program there. The room used by the Lunch Box program is also used for meetings and other activities. The tables and chairs used in the room have been in use for numerous years and many have become unsafe and unusable. Dutchess Outreach requested a grant to replace them in order to provide a safe and welcoming space for those in need of a meal and other assistance.

“Since 1974, Dutchess Outreach has been providing help and advocacy to citizens in need”, said Senator Saland. “The positive impact they have had on thousands of individuals and families is immeasurable. There are many people who would have nothing to eat were it not for the Lunch Box Program – I’m glad I was able to secure the funding to help keep this worthwhile program going.”

Brian P. Riddell, Executive Director of Dutchess Outreach, Inc. commented, “Once again, Senator Saland has shown his support for this community effort to make sure people don’t go hungry. It comes at a time when the Lunch Box Program is serving more people than ever, particularly children through our new initiative. We’d like to say thank you to Senator Saland for securing this grant for us.”