POUGHKEEPSIE – Foodstock 16, the multi-genre concert fundraiser to assist Dutchess Outreach in combatting food insecurity is taking place today (Sunday, Feb. 4). Along with the proceeds from ticket sales, attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for that will be collected on site by Dutchess Outreach. Cash donations are also welcome. The annual event is taking place at Mahoney’s Steakhouse in Poughkeepsie, with support from owner Emmett Woods.
According to Dutchess Outreach Executive Director Renee Fillette, food insecurity is spiraling out of control. “In New York State, food insecurity has increased by 85 percent since 2022, compared with an increase of 35 percent nationwide,” she said while expressing thanks to the founders of the Foodstock Fund and their annual concert/food drive that provides tremendous support to Dutchess Outreach.
The doors of Mahoney’s will open at 1:00 pm and the music starts at 2:00 pm.
Food insecurity is an official term from the USDA. It is a classification for people who don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from,” according to Fillette. In the United States, more than 44 million people, including 13 million children, experience food insecurity annually. Many more people, including millions who do not meet the definition of food insecure—turn to the charitable food sector for support.
The food pantry at Dutchess Outreach has experienced a tremendous increase in the number of people seeking food. In 2021 the pantry was averaging visits from 200 households per month. In December 2023, the pantry was overwhelmed by visits from 1,800 households in need of food.
Ryan Michael, a former marching band leader and karaoke entertainer, and Lorenzo Angelino, a Poughkeepsie attorney, put together a multi-artist concert fundraiser to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Realizing there…
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