Last week, the popular bi-weekly Bread of Life pantry, located just across the border, was as busy as ever as more Rye High School juniors and seniors spent time bagging and distributing donated food to its many grateful recipients.
Bread of Life, operated by Giving Tree Global, functions like a food bank. Through its Food Rescue initiative, the team collaborates with grocery stores and restaurants to recover edible food that would otherwise be discarded as waste and delivers it to local food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters—all free of charge. At the food pantries, a sense of family and community is fostered, making Bread of Life a place where the hungry come to be fed and the community comes to serve. In addition to food, Bread of Life also distributes children’s clothing, with 1,300 people served in Rye, 400 people served weekly in White Plains, and 1,300 bags of children’s clothing distributed.
This dedicated group of volunteers from Rye High School Academy—a project-based learning initiative—joined the pantry as part of their commitment to volunteer once a month in January, February, and March at pantries supported by the Bread of Life/Giving Tree Global organization, which partners with Trinity Church in Greenwich.
“It’s all about helping others, and that’s why we’re here,” said Mark Bayer, the interim Assistant Principal of Rye High School. “These experiences of kindness and charity are vital, and throughout life, they add up.”
As grateful individuals lined up at the Bread of Life tables last week, the enthusiastic teenagers, along with Bayer, delivered overflowing bags of dry goods, vegetables, and meat directly to them. The students also helped carry the bags to recipients’ cars and assisted in other tasks.
“It feels good to help people and interact with everyone here. This has been a great experience,” said Ben Stigliano, a junior at Rye High School. “Everyone is so nice, respectful, and grateful.”
Excited to spend their time at the Bread of Life pantry, the students emphasized that their favorite part of the experience was connecting with everyone they served.
“It’s great to be here,” said Will Weiman, another Rye High School junior. “Everyone is so dedicated, and it’s nice to see the reactions and smiles on people’s faces.”
Bayer agreed, adding, “Everyone is excited to be here and involved with the Bread of Life, which is an amazing resource for so many people. This month, the focus for the Academy is all about finding the purpose of service, and the Bread of Life embodies that. For the kids to be involved with the organization in this capacity has been especially meaningful for all of them.”
For more information on joining the Bread of Life organization or supporting its mission, please contact:
Bread of Life/Giving Tree Global
65 Orchard Avenue
Rye, NY 10580
914-479-7422
