There is no denying the impact that Covid-19 has had on our local communities. Everyone has been affected in some way by this pandemic, and- at times- it has been hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There is, however, a silver lining; one which has been increasingly palpable in the populations that we serve, and beyond. People are reaching out to their neighbors, sending messages of hope, bonding over the struggles they share, and assuring one another of brighter days to come. These beautiful and selfless acts are proof that we can make a difference in this world, one kindness at a time!

Ursula K. Le Guin said it perfectly; “We are brothers. We are brothers in what we share. In pain, in hunger, in poverty, in hope, we know our brotherhood. We know it, because we have had to learn it. We know that there is no help for us but from one another, that no hand will save us if we do not reach out our hand….All you have is what you are, and what you give.” In an effort to practice what we preach, our Habitat for Humanity affiliate sought new ways to give back, during this difficult time. We rallied 22 Habitat volunteers, across 3 days to aid other local non-profits in their community food drives. The first of these took place in Warren County, while the second and third were held in Saratoga and Greenwich, through the Salvation Army. In Saratoga, alone, we served 1,266 people with the help of 66 volunteers and stocked 5 local food pantries! We met some fantastic people along the way and are excited to foster further relationships with the Salvation Army and United Way, in the future.

We want to thank those who came out to help, and extend well wishes to those who received from the pantries. We are all in this together!