DOVER PLAINS, NY – At Tenmile Farm Foundation in Dover Plains, Senator Michelle Hinchey announced two initiatives to expand access to fresh food for residents facing food insecurity and help bolster local economies – both would create new revenue sources for farm businesses and local restaurants in the process. Hinchey was joined by community food nonprofits from Tenmile Farm Foundation, Dutchess Outreach, and Rethink Food to highlight efforts to get more healthy, locally-sourced food to New Yorkers in need.  

Senator Hinchey provided $25,000 for Dutchess Outreach to expand its farm-to-food pantry partnerships in Northern Dutchess. The funding will help the organization build relationships with new farm partners, strengthen existing ones, and connect locally grown food to community-based organizations that often lack the financial resources, staffing, or infrastructure to buy directly from farmers. With Hinchey’s investment, Dutchess Outreach will create new income-generating opportunities for farmers in Northern Dutchess County and ensure neighbors in need can access fresh food through a more equitable and sustainable regional food system. 

Alongside support for Dutchess Outreach, Hinchey announced her push for the Chef-to-Community Tax Credit, legislation she sponsors that would provide New York restaurants with up to $10,000 in annual tax credits for donating surplus meals to local food pantries and nonprofits. The proposal offers a practical, community-driven solution to help New Yorkers facing food insecurity access freshly prepared meals, while reducing food waste and providing new revenue to neighborhood restaurants. 

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Every New Yorker deserves access to fresh, healthy food, but rising grocery costs are making that harder for people across our communities. We’re working on creative solutions that tackle food insecurity and support our local economy. I’m proud to provide funding so Dutchess Outreach can purchase food from Northern Dutchess farms and get it to residents who need it most. We’re also bringing back our push for the Chef-to-Community Tax Credit to give our neighborhood restaurants an economic boost for donating surplus meals from their kitchens to help fight food insecurity. Thank you to Dutchess Outreach, Tenmile Farm, and Rethink Food for leading the way with us on these critical efforts.”

Matt Jozwiak, Founder and CEO of Rethink Food, said, “Restaurants are community infrastructure. Every day, chefs across New York are cooking for neighbors who need a good meal. The Chef-to-Community Tax Credit supports the restaurants that help feed their communities every day, so they can keep doing that work. We’re grateful to Senator Hinchey for reintroducing this bill and for standing with the restaurants and families who make our food system stronger.”

Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, said, “The hospitality industry finds itself in a difficult position right now. Costs, especially for food, are at an all-time high, and our members are struggling more than ever to make ends meet. In the last year alone, the state’s hospitality sector has 20,000 fewer jobs, and the state lost 2,000 restaurants since the beginning of 2025. We need help, and we are thrilled with Senator Hinchey's proposed ‘Chef to Community Tax Credit’ legislation. This bill will introduce a new revenue stream that our members desperately need, and the best part is that they will realize these benefits by helping their community. Restaurants never know how many meals they will serve in a day and often have leftover ingredients. This will establish a pathway for this food to be donated to community organizations that will provide aid to those that desperately need it, with a benefit back to the restaurants. It really is a win-win. We look forward to working with the Senator to help advance this legislation this upcoming legislative year.”

Jeanne Traugot, Assistant Executive Director of Mission Growth at Dutchess Outreach, said, “We are incredibly grateful to Senator Hinchey for her continued support of Dutchess Outreach and her commitment to addressing food insecurity in our communities. This funding allows us to purchase fresh, nutritious food from local farms and distribute it to neighbors throughout her district who need it most. By connecting local agriculture with community food access, we not only help families put healthy food on their tables, but also support the farmers who are such an important part of our regional food system. Partnerships like this demonstrate what we can accomplish when we invest in both our local farms and our communities.”

Gibson Durnford, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Ten Mile Farm in Dover Plains, said, “We’re grateful to Senator Hinchey for recognizing the important role New York’s farms can play in advancing food security. At Tenmile Farm Foundation, we believe addressing hunger requires looking beyond traditional food assistance and finding innovative ways to strengthen the food system itself. We put this philosophy into practice by growing food specifically for donation and planning our production around the needs identified by our community partners. Having donated more than one million pounds of fresh food, we’ve demonstrated what’s possible when agricultural production is intentionally aligned with community needs.” 

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