Serving the Community with Alice Houseknecht
November is a month for good food, giving back, and being grateful. So we figured who better to catch up with than Alice Houseknecht, director of Montauk Food Pantry. We chatted with Alice about the work she does with The Pantry and the impact it has had on the Montauk community. Though Alice is certainly a force to be reckoned with, she emphasizes that Montauk Food Pantry’s mission and day-to-day functions could not be realized without the help of a huge network of volunteers and team members and throughout it all, it takes a village.
How did you first become involved in Montauk Food Pantry’s work? 
The two women who were the Co-Founders of the Montauk Food Pantry which started in 1991 were Ines Fox and Fran Ecker. At the time, both of them worked as educators at the Montauk Public School where I was also teaching. When Ines and Fran needed extra help at the Food Pantry, I got involved on the periphery by filling in occasionally, and my role grew from there.
Walk us through a typical day at the Montauk Food Pantry headquarters.
A typical day involves coordinating schedules, ordering and picking up food from various collection sites such as Stop & Shop, Montauk Library, Montauk Community Church, St. Therese Church, Long Island Cares, and receiving deliveries of diapers and feminine products. Volunteers meet to stock these deliveries and pack bags in advance of our distribution. In addition, fundraising is a constant requirement in order to pay for the food and other supplies that we distribute. Writing grants and other administrative tasks are performed by all of the officers.
Tell us about the people and families you’ve met and helped during your time at MFP. What has been one of the most rewarding experiences?
During the pandemic shutdown we were serving as many as four hundred families. The cars lined up for more than half a mile to receive food. During that time a deep bond was formed between our volunteers and recipients. Serving the carloads of families with children who were dependent upon our assistance was an unforgettable sight. Knowing that people had no means to provide for their families due to the fact that all but essential workers were unemployed, impressed upon all of us that this was our mission.
What do you wish more people knew about food security in Montauk and beyond?
Montauk and the surrounding areas on the East End require an influx of service workers to make our economic engine run. Resort areas such as ours are often viewed as affluent, therefore some folks are not aware of the tremendous needs of these workers. Given the lack of affordable housing units, workers are forced to spend much of their earnings on basic necessities. Supplementing food is an absolute requirement. Each of the East End towns has their own food pantries to help alleviate some of this dilemma.
How can someone become involved in or support Montauk Food Pantry’s work?
Folks who would like to help the Montauk Food Pantry can either donate money or food. Non-perishable food can be dropped off at the St. Therese Parish Center at 67 S Essex Street Montauk, on Mondays through Fridays from 9a.m. – 3p.m. We are a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Monetary donations are tax deductible; checks can be made payable to:
Montauk Food Pantry
P.O. Box 997
Montauk, NY 11954
Online donations are accepted on our website at www.montaukfoodpantry.org
Favorite memory of Montauk ever?
My favorite memory of Montauk is when I was five-years-old camping at Hither Hills with my family. I looked up at the night sky and saw a diamond field of one billion stars!
What is Montauk to you?
It was at that moment looking at the stars as a child that I realized the gem that Montauk was and continues to be. The natural habitat here is filled with nurturing and spiritual healing factors that can be discovered and absorbed by simply taking the time to walk along the beaches and trails, swim or surf the waters, and stargaze the clear skies at night.
