Food Not Bombs is asking the community to help support its weekly free food distribution in Nyack by donating pantry staples, household essentials, and reusable bags.

Every Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., volunteers distribute free groceries and prepared meals to anyone in need. To help keep the program stocked throughout the summer, organizers are collecting donations of shelf-stable food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, diapers, menstrual hygiene products, first aid supplies, takeout containers, and reusable tote bags.

Opened packages are accepted in many cases, provided the contents remain sealed or the items are largely unused. Sample-size toiletries are also welcomed.

As a vegetarian organization, Food Not Bombs distributes vegetarian food, while meat products that are donated are shared with other local food assistance groups.

Organizers say donations dropped off in Upper Nyack are especially appreciated and encourage anyone interested in volunteering to get involved. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to help with food preparation, distribution, and other community outreach efforts.

The weekly distribution is open to anyone in need and reflects the organization’s mission of reducing food waste while helping neighbors facing food insecurity.

One of the most infamous moments of the American Revolution unfolded in Haverstraw on Sept. 22, 1780, when General Benedict Arnold secretly met with British Major John André to hand over plans for the fortifications at West Point.

The meeting took place at the home of Joshua Hett Smith, where Arnold’s plot to surrender the strategically vital Hudson River fortress to the British took shape. The conspiracy ultimately failed after André was captured carrying the secret documents, while Arnold escaped to British lines, forever cementing his name as a synonym for treason.

For many years, the house commonly identified as Joshua Hett Smith’s home was believed to be the location of the historic meeting. However, historian Richard J. Koke later determined that the building was actually owned by Smith’s brother, Thomas Smith.

Historical records also reveal that before and after the Revolutionary War, the Smith family enslaved numerous people. Historian David Cole described the family as “landlords with many tenants” who were “thoroughly disliked by those tenants for their proud carriage,” providing additional context to the property’s complex history.

Visitors interested in learning more about Haverstraw’s role in the American Revolution can explore the story at the Haverstraw Brick Museum, which is featuring an America 250 exhibition highlighting the area’s Revolutionary War history. The museum is open Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m., with weekday visits available by appointment.

This serves as a reminder that some of the most pivotal chapters of the Revolutionary War occurred right here in the Hudson Valley.

The Haverstraw Brick Museum requests a recommended donation for admission rather than charging a mandatory admission fee.

Current suggested donations are:

• Adults: $6
• Children: $3

📸 NY State Archives, NYSA_A3045-78_D47_HeH