​Pfizer of Pearl River Donate Over $3K to Food Bank

From Pfizer: Pfizer colleagues in Pearl River, NY donated 1,328 pounds of non-perishable food items to the People to People food bank in Nanuet recently. The donation, valued at $3,718, will help People to People provide meals to struggling households in Rockland County.

The spring food drive, one of two held annually by Pfizer Pearl River, was conducted at the North Middletown Road site during the week of March 20. Jennifer Tejeda of Pfizer Vaccine Research & Development, who organized the drive, said the donations exceeded the 924 pounds colleagues donated last spring. An autumn food drive yielded nearly 700 pounds of donated food.

Non-perishable food items donated by Pfizer colleagues included cereals, canned vegetables, soups and juices, tuna fish, pasta, sauces and purees, boxed and powdered milk, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil and mayonnaise. Colleagues also donated toiletries.

“The folks at Pfizer have been incredible supporters of People to People for many years,” said Diane Serratore, executive director of People to People, which served an average of 1,545 Rockland households per month during 2016, a 10 percent increase over 2015. People to People also provides weekly food packages to nearly 200 children in afterschool programs at the Nyack Center and the Haverstraw Center.

“In 2016, the number of children receiving food assistance from People to People was higher than the number of adults for the first time, and the number of seniors who benefited from monthly food assistance increased over 20 percent,” Serratore said. “These numbers emphasize the significant and persistent demand on People to People’s food pantry.”

In addition to two annual food drives, Pfizer colleagues help People to People make a meaningful difference in the lives of Rockland County neighbors by donating school supplies, toys and other gifts, and winter coats each year.

Pfizer has a research and development and production site in Pearl River. The North Middletown Road location is one of Pfizer’s primary research sites and focuses on vaccines and oncology research. It is also a production site for antibody-drug conjugates. The company employs over 600 people in Pearl River.

Photo courtesy of Pfizer (Pfizer Pearl River colleagues assisting with the People to People spring food drive that resulted in 1,328 pounds of donation valued at $3,718 recently were (left to right) Sandra Zeller, Karen Albert, Irene Garnett, Kieran Curley, Jennifer Santiago, Shibu Philip, Mikele Simkins and Jennifer Tejeda. Not pictured are Christine Stokes and Jakob Loschko.)