Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Huguenot Memorial Church. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.

Two local businesses – Manor Market in Pelham Manor and AJ’s Burgers in New Rochelle – were honored recently by Huguenot Memorial Church in Pelham for their ongoing support in  helping the church and broader community combat food insecurity in the New York area. The Church presented both businesses with commemorative plaques during the Christmas season to publicly recognize their contributions.

Manor Market: Helping Thanksgiving in a Box Scale

In the decade that Manor Market has participated in Thanksgiving in a Box, it has helped boost this program substantially, making it possible to provide more than 1,000 families in Westchester with Thanksgiving meals each year. The Market plays multiple roles in supporting Thanksgiving in a Box, and involves all of its employees in the effort. It fields hundreds of phone calls from people in the community who wish to donate; buys hams and other food supplies for the program; provides crucial refrigeration for the hams; and packs hundreds of boxes that are then delivered by volunteers to families on Thanksgiving Day.

“Without Manor Market’s support, Pelham would not be able to donate anywhere near 1,000 Thanksgiving meals each year, and the market’s owner, Alan Brodsky and his staff, have become true partners in making Thanksgiving in a Box happen,” said Tina Constable, a member of Huguenot Church who started the “TIAB” program at a time when the church was only able to donate several dozen meals each year. “Unfortunately, the need every year – at Thanksgiving and every day – is real, and this local business helps us meet the need.”

“TIAB” has become a community-wide event, encompassing all of Pelham’s houses of worship as well as other organizations and individuals. The meals are distributed in coordination with Family Services of Westchester.

AJ’s Burgers: Providing Breakfast for New York City’s Homeless Population

AJ’s Burgers, a New Rochelle restaurant, was honored for its work in helping Huguenot carry out “Breakfast Runs” – trips church members make into Manhattan on Sunday mornings multiple times per year to serve breakfast to the homeless population and provide them with other items, such as clothing and toiletries. AJ’s owner Alan Cohen prepares dozens of breakfast sandwiches for each of the runs, and has prepared thousands of meals over the years. The Breakfast Runs are coordinated with the organization Midnight Run, which serves New York’s homeless population.

Cohen’s work on the Breakfast Runs began as a tribute to the late Glenn Whitmore, a Huguenot member and Pelham Manor resident who was a major supporter of the church’s mission work. Said Lyn Roth-Jacobs, a Huguenot member who coordinates AJ Burgers’ efforts, “Alan is always willing to do what it takes to make sure we have plenty of food to serve to people who are truly hungry. It usually means being in the kitchen at AJ’s extremely early on a Sunday morning, preparing breakfast.”

“Working on food insecurity is one of the primary goals of Huguenot’s mission work, and it simply could not happen on such a large scale without the help of these two small businesses with very big hearts,” said Huguenot Mission Committee Co-Chair Cathy Taylor. “It was important not only to express our gratitude, but to make sure local residents know how essential they are to helping us carry out our work.”

Manor Market is located at 4775-77 Boston Post Rd, Pelham Manor.

AJ’s Burgers is located at 542 North Avenue in New Rochelle.

Huguenot Memorial Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and is located at 901 Pelhamdale Avenue in Pelham Manor.