Project Oasis to keep fresh produce distributions at Newburgh library

Fresh produce will stay in reach at the Newburgh Free Library, where Project Oasis is set to distribute fruits and vegetables in the lobby on alternating Tuesdays through the end of June. The next pickups are scheduled for June 16 and June 30, beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing while supplies last.

The library distribution is only one part of a broader local food-access effort. Project Oasis also runs Sunday distributions outside 411 Broadway in Newburgh, creating a recurring schedule that residents can rely on instead of a one-time giveaway. Sky High Farm said Project Oasis used its grant to secure a one-year contract with the Newburgh Farmers’ Market, allowing the group to keep distributing fresh, locally grown produce through November 2026 with two food distributions a week, one at the library and one on Broadway.

Project Oasis says its mission is to combat food insecurity in Newburgh through sustainable urban gardens and nutritional education. The Newburgh Farmers’ Market says its own mission is to feed and engage the Newburgh community, support local farms and businesses, and create a more just food system. Its vendors accept SNAP/EBT, WIC/FMNP, Double Up Food Bucks, Fresh Connect Checks and Greens4Greens, which gives low-income shoppers more ways to stretch limited food dollars at the market and through its related produce network.

The need is substantial in Orange County. Feeding America estimates the county had 48,730 food-insecure people in 2023, a food-insecurity rate of 12.1%, and an annual food budget shortfall of $34.77 million. The organization’s 2022 estimate put Orange County at 45,290 food-insecure people, with an 11.3% rate. A county community safety-net report adds that 40% of residents are housing-burdened and 52% of households with children younger than 6 cannot afford basic necessities, showing how pressure from rent, food and other essentials continues to strain families.

Newburgh’s population is listed at 28,519, and the city has a long record of food-access work. A 2021 Record story said the Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative was responding to the city’s food crisis with fresh produce and agricultural education, while a 2023 Hudson Valley Press story said the Newburgh Farmers’ Market had an end-of-market donation program that sent unsold produce to local pantries and soup kitchens. Orange County’s food-resources page lists the Newburgh Farmers’ Market among county food-access outlets, and residents seeking immediate food help can call 311 or 1-800-832-1200.