LIBERTY- A Single Bite announced that it has added the Sullivan Catskills Regional Food Hub, a 5,000-square-foot facility in Liberty, to its operations. This is the next step in community partnerships to make healthy, local food and nutrition education accessible to more Sullivan County children and their families.
A Single Bite, a nonprofit founded by Foster Supply Hospitality, provides free, nutritious meals while supporting community health by teaching students to care about the food they eat and where it comes from. The Real Food Education Program reaches 750 Sullivan County middle school students and is comprised of four interactive sessions that engage, educate, and empower young people to make healthy choices whenever possible. And, their free, weekly Family Meal Program has provided 135,000 scratch-made dinners to Sullivan County children and their families.
“Operating the Catskills Food Hub enables us to expand our current family meal and education programs and become an essential part of Sullivan County’s food economy by adding local food distribution to our core mission,” said Sims Foster, Co-Founder of A Single Bite and Chairperson of the newly formed Board of Directors. “We appreciate the strong foundation laid by past Catskills Food Hub Board members and volunteers,” adds Foster.
After installing a kitchen and new equipment, A Single Bite will fully relocate later this year. It is also actively engaged in partnerships to support farm-to-school programs and an employer-subsidized CSA program, increasing the amount and quality of fresh produce at local food pantries, on Sullivan County school menus, and for working families.
A Single Bite executive director Audrey Garro said, “Too many Sullivan County children and families are at risk for poor health outcomes because they don’t eat a healthy diet. Challenges like lack of access to nutritious food, insufficient financial means, and limited nutrition education often force people to decide between buying food and paying for household expenses.”
Moving to the larger Liberty facility will allow A Single Bite to prepare more than the 700 weekly meals delivered weekly and they will expand our Real Food Education Program. The free, four-part experiential series introduces the concept of real versus processed food through classroom sessions, farm field trips, and restaurant visits. “We’ll also enhance our educational component with Real Food – Real Futures, an apprenticeship program to cultivate food-centric interests, leadership skills, and career or college readiness,” said Garro.
Since 2016, Catskills Food Hub has collaborated with a network of over 40 regional producers to aggregate, distribute, and sell farm-raised-and-grown meats and vegetables, prepared foods, baked goods, and other value-added products to restaurants, markets, schools, and individuals.
The County of Sullivan Industrial Development Agency owns the warehouse space and equipment at the Catskills Food Hub. “We are grateful to those who have spent the past six years in service to what will now allow A Single Bite to more fully address food insecurity and increase nutrition education, while offering new programs,” said IDA Chairperson Suzanne Loughlin.”
Visit asinglebite.org for more information.
