To the Editor,

As outlined in your recent article, CHHOP once again is searching for a new home to continue serving veterans, senior citizens, men and women, and survivors of domestic violence who are experiencing homelessness. We are ever grateful this year for the community’s strong support for our programs run through Jan Peek House and Fred’s Pantry, which operates out of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. We are counting on that support to help us identify a long-term solution for relocating the shelter and staff office space.

The harsh reality of job loss, rising prices, health concerns, and the cold weather have resulted in increasing needs that all of us at CHHOP are working hard to meet on a daily basis.

In 2023, we continue to care for an unprecedented number of individuals at the shelter and families who rely on Fred’s Pantry to feed their children. Weekly, we provide food for retired seniors who have worked all their lives and now only find themselves unable to make ends meet. We are sheltering a dozen veterans who valiantly protected our freedom and stand amongst those needing our services. Our RISE program currently cares for more than 60 women and children who are dependent on our team to assist them with food, shelter, and eventually permanent housing.

Since 1988, Jan Peek House has been the ONLY shelter for our most vulnerable homeless neighbors in Northern Westchester. Fred’s Pantry provided healthy, nutritious food to over 90,000 (duplicated) people in 2022. Healthy, nutritious food fosters children’s cognitive development, helps adults manage chronic health conditions, and improves worker productivity.

We call upon the community and our elected officials to step forward and help CHHOP identify a new space to continue our mission: Thriving individuals + thriving families = thriving communities.

We know that our community and our leaders will not let us fail.

Cynthia Knox, CEO

Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP)