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People's Place in Kingston recently canceled a scheduled food giveaway event due to a missed delivery from the Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley. The agency revealed that the cancellation was not a result of potential cuts to food transportation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Instead, the delivery was halted due to the increasing crowd size at the Farm Stand and concerns about traffic safety, according to Barry Lewis, a spokesman for the food bank.
Christine Hein, Executive Director of People's Place, confirmed that the food bank usually delivers supplies on the day of the giveaway, but this time, the delivery was not made. She emphasized that the Farm Stand will resume on Tuesday, May 13, and continue weekly through the end of October. The first Farm Stand event of the year in April drew 957 attendees, the highest since its inception 11 years ago.
The Daily Freeman reported that U.S. Representative Pat Ryan criticized former President Donald Trump's administration for cuts to the USDA, which he claims could lead to similar cancellations in the future. However, Lewis clarified that the recent cancellation was unrelated to these federal cuts.
Despite the current logistical issues, People's Place is working with the Regional Food Bank to ensure safe delivery and distribution in the future. The agency remains committed to providing fresh produce, dairy, and shelf-stable food items to the community, much of which is donated by local farms and partners.