Not Freezin' for a Reason: Food Pantry Debuts a Pleasant Plunge To Raise Summer Awareness

Every New Year’s Day for the last 14 years or so, the East Hampton Food Pantry has hosted a Polar Bear Plunge at Main Beach in East Hampton, drawing hundreds of hardy swimmers who brave frigid temperatures and icy cold waters, not to mention New Year’s Eve hangovers, to help raise money for the organization.

“We always have over 400 plungers and hundreds of spectators, and that’s in January, when it’s freezing,” Food Pantry Board Chairwoman Vicki Littman explained.

That January plunge has been their biggest fundraiser. A nearly all-volunteer organization — 30 volunteers serve 300 families per week — the pantry has never had the means to underwrite and organize a big-ticket summer gala like other area not-for-profits do.

This summer, however, the pantry is dipping a toe into a summer benefit with its first Summer Splash, dubbed “a pleasant plunge.”

Beyond raising money for operating costs, the goal of the event is to raise awareness of food insecurity in East Hampton.

Summer visitors, and even year-round residents may not realize there are scores of hardworking people in East Hampton who need help, Littman said. And, while the numbers usually drop off during the summer, this year they’ve increased.

“Normally at this time, we see a decrease in clients, as summer jobs begin,” Littman said. “This year, it just keeps increasing every week.”

In 2020, the pantry served some 15,000 individuals. The number skyrocketed to 25,000 last year

“We’ve been feeding our community over 30 years. We serve residents of every hamlet. Thank God we have our volunteers and board members who are also volunteers. Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do what we do,” Littman said.

The board chairwoman — who is also a volunteer — attributes the client increase to the high cost of living on the East End.

Although many of the pantry’s clients work two and three jobs, food prices alone have hit families of modest means hard, as have ever-escalating rents.

The food costs have hit the pantry, too, Littman said. “We’ve already doubled our budget from January to May of last year,” she said. “We’re not gonna see a decrease in clients, and we’re only gonna see an increase in the fall. Our budget is going to triple, probably, by December.”

Costs for staples like bread and milk have gone up 30 to 40 percent in 2023.

Begun some 30 years ago at the East Hampton Presbyterian Church, the pantry offers food to East Hampton residents from its base behind Town Hall each Tuesday. The number of households seeking the pantry’s services catapulted from 2,180 in 1989 to 25,000 last year.

Despite funding challenges, the organization has continued to reach out and expand its services.

It started delivering meals to homebound residents during the COVID pandemic and continues to do so each Wednesday. Beyond that, it offers a food pantry in the East Hampton High School and Middle School, plus John M. Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton. Food pantry board member and school social worker Aubrey Peterson runs the program. “Without him, it wouldn’t be possible,” Littman said.

The pantry distributes sealed food products, healthy snacks, toiletries, and hygiene products to low-income East Hampton High School students, and redirects the main food pantry to help provide for their families. The convenient location gives students easier access to food assistance and allows them to feel more comfortable. Confidentiality is guarded carefully and guidance counselors and teachers work with the food pantry discreetly.

The pantry also delivers food to the town’s three senior housing complexes each week. “We bring it right to the door for them, seniors don’t even have to come out,” Littman said.

The surging cost of food and the increase in clients is prompting the new summer fundraiser and push to raise awareness.

Publicity helps, Littman said. In one case, it was a boon. About 14 years ago, the late Ben Krupinski, a local builder and philanthropist, read an article about the volume of clients using the pantry every week. He stepped up to donate and build a distribution and storage area, at the pantry’s then-location in Windmill Village II.

The pantry was subsequently asked to move so the village could conduct its own programs in the space. They’re now based behind Town Hall, using a rented trailer for food storage. They planned to move when the Town of East Hampton built its long-awaited senior center, but a decision was made to keep them behind Town Hall. So, now they’re hoping to buy a food storage trailer.

On July 12, supporters can dive in to help at Main Beach from 7 to 9 p.m.

There will be live music by Julia King and, joked Littman, “the restrooms will be open.” (The Main Beach building is usually closed when the January 1 event is held.) The concession stand will also be open, so visitors can dine and dance under the stars.

A silent auction will feature an array of prizes. Local businesses and individuals have stepped up with donations — Paul McCartney will autograph a copy of his book, “The Lyrics” specifically for the auction winner.

An autographed collector’s edition of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and two tickets to Billy Joel’s last concert at Madison Square Garden are also up for bid. Tickets to Bay Street Theater and Guild Hall performances are available to bidders, as are an array of gift certificates for area restaurants, including The Palm, Bostwick’s, Nick & Tony’s, plus many more.

Like sports? Bidders can try for four field level seats at a Mets game, or an autographed poster of Daniel Joes of the New York Giants or Quinnen Willimans of the Jets.

The Maidstone Club and South Fork Country Club have donated golf foursomes, and local boats have offered fishing charters. Kayak and paddle board rentals round out the auction items for outdoorsy types.

Attendees at the Summer Splash may participate in the auction, or homebodies may bid online. The auction will go live on Friday, June 30. People can use the QR code on this page or on 27east.com or visit app.galabid.com/feedtheeastend2023/register to access the site. Once they do, they can bid any time from this Friday through July 15.

Plungers may register on the food pantry site at easthamptonfoodpantry.org/summer-splash-2023.

“Hopefully, this summer plunge will be an annual event and bring awareness to the summer community,” Littman said. “Food pantries are struggling. It’s not always the glamorous Hamptons that people think of. There are people, hardworking people, who struggle to live here.”