Binghamton, NY – Tracy Maines, author of My Cottage Kitchen Cookbook, presented a donation of $52,000 to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier before the start of the Mobile Food Pantry at Maines Community Center in Conklin Friday, Dec. 20.
Tracy also helped raise an additional $28,180 in donations to the Food Bank through a three-year journey of selling and promoting the cookbook across the Southern Tier.
Food Bank President & CEO Natasha R. Thompson said this donation will provide more than 240,500 meals for people at risk of hunger in the six counties the food bank serves. “The Food Bank distributes food to more than 18,000 people each week through our partner pantries and direct service programs. We simply cannot meet the need without the support of our donors and friends who see the need and respond. Tracy had a vision to bring families to the table with her recipes, and donations from her cookbook will help put meals on the table for people in need.”
Tracy Maines stated, “I did not take this journey alone. It was with the generosity of the community, local businesses, media and supportive family and friends that this project was overwhelmingly successful. My original goal was to raise $15,000 to $20,000 from the profits of the book. I am truly grateful to so many people and especially to Kathleen Phillips who was a constant by my side during the book signings, sales and promotions of the book. I am forever grateful for the benevolence of so many kindhearted people that have supported and advocated on behalf of my vision and endeavor to feed the hungry through the sales of the cookbook.”
“The Food Bank of the Southern Tier is a vital organization in our community and one that I wholeheartedly believe in. In 2018 they distributed 9.5 million of the 11.9 million meals needed in Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties. Unfortunately, children encompass 38% of their clients. Please consider giving monetarily, or by volunteering your time or resources to this much needed worthwhile organization.”