County Employees Collect Gift Cards to Benefit
Federal Workers Affected by Shutdown
Donated gift cards to be distributed at free local spaghetti dinner
hosted by Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church on February 1st
Poughkeepsie … Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro announced Dutchess County Government employees are collecting grocery gift cards to distribute to local federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown. The collection will run through Friday, February 1st, when gift cards will be distributed at a dinner hosted by the Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church.
If local residents would like to take part, they can drop off grocery store gift cards (up to $20 in value) at the County Executive’s Office, located on the sixth floor of the County Office Building, 22 Market Street in the City of Poughkeepsie.
All gift cards will be given to the United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region, which will distribute them on Friday, February 1st at a free spaghetti dinner for affected federal employees and their families from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., hosted by the Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church, 2381 New Hackensack Road. More than 100 local residents have reserved their seats for the Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church’s free spaghetti dinner. Residents can learn more information or RSVP by calling (845) 337-1281.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Our federal leaders in Washington must meet, talk and reach a compromise to end this shutdown – the longest in our nation’s history – and enable federal employees to return to work, serve our people and receive a paycheck. In Dutchess County, we work together, and our workforce has long reached out a supportive hand to assist friends and neighbors when they need it. We are happy to help through this gift card collection drive, and I assure local federal workers that Dutchess County is here for you and your families.”
If the federal government shutdown comes to an end prior to February 1st, any donated gift cards will be provided to local food pantries.
Dutchess County Government employees take part in several charitable endeavors each year, including, among others, an annual holiday toy drive, which delivers toys to the Salvation Army in the City of Poughkeepsie to benefit local families; a United Way employee payroll campaign; a school supplies drive for City of Poughkeepsie students; and “Cereal Counts,” which collects boxes of cereal for local children, teens and adults each summer.
