Anyone drawn to the smell of peanut butter might have already stumbled upon The Sandwich Club, a new service club founded by members of Interact. Every other Thursday when the last school bell rings, anywhere between five and fifteen Rhinebeck High School student volunteers meet inside the school entrance or the Bulkeley Middle School lunchroom to make and package sixty to eighty sandwiches for delivery to The Blue Fridge, a community food pantry outside the Clinton Avenue Church in Kingston.
Supervised by two Rhinebeck Rotary volunteers who are also Rhinebeck High School parents, The Sandwich Club sources sandwich ingredients like bread, peanut butter, jelly, tuna fish, cheese and mayonnaise using a $500 grant from Rhinebeck Rotary and in-kind donations from local businesses like Bread Alone. Lasting only 15-20 minutes, The Sandwich Club’s gatherings are intentionally short, encouraging students to roll up their sleeves and work quickly in small groups.
“We strategically timed our meetings so everyone can get involved,” said parent volunteer, Braden Rhetts. “Even athletes on their way to sports practices, jobs, or activities can stop by for a few minutes to make a sandwich or two.”
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an estimated 17.9 percent (6.5 million) of households with children in 2023 experienced food insecurity. As grocery prices soar from inflation, food pantries serve a vital role for many Americans struggling to feed themselves or their families.
“For some people, a sandwich from The Blue Fridge might be all they’re eating that day, “ said Maura Cuyler, a sophomore Sandwich Club volunteer.
Operating as a food sharing program, The Blue Fridge encourages its users to both take from the pantry, and contribute. Hosted by One Hope Community at Clinton Ave Church and the Clinton Avenue Neighborhood, The Blue Fridge is located at 122 Clinton Avenue, Kingston and is open 11:00AM– 8:30PM daily, accepting donations of both frozen, refrigerated, and unrefrigerated items, including labeled sandwiches, fruit and vegetables, milk, eggs, and yogurt.
