Last Tuesday the Business Council of Greater Montgomery presented a $4,300 check to the Town of Montgomery Food Pantry. These funds were raised from the organization’s month-long Dine for Dollars event and via a donation from Walden Savings Bank.

The business council hosted Dine for Dollars throughout the month of February, featuring a different restaurant each day. Customers who dined in or ordered takeout from the restaurant of the day had 10 percent of their bill donated to the Town of Montgomery Food Pantry. Participating businesses were also advertised on both the business council’s Facebook page and website as well as the Town of Montgomery Facebook page. Some of the restaurants showcased during the event included Java Blue Coffee & Market, Carmela’s Pizza Restaurant, Ward’s Bridge Inn as well as Calculated Confections. In total, 26 restaurants participated in the event.

Montgomery Town Supervisor Brian Maher confirmed that each of the participating restaurants saw an uptick in sales. In total, the event raised approximately $3,300. When Walden Savings Bank saw the success of the event, they donated an additional $1,000 to the cause, bringing the total amount raised for the food pantry to $4,300.

Officials from the town including Town of Montgomery Superintendent of Highways Shaun Meres, Town Clerk Tara Stickles and Village of Walden Deputy Mayor John Ramos also came on Tuesday to support the business council for organizing a successful event.

“There is true strength in numbers, with the Town of Montgomery and all the villages, Maybrook, Village of Montgomery and of course the Village of Walden,” Ramos said. “This is how we do things and I’ve got to applaud everyone who’s contributed to this effort and we are proud of each and every one of you.”

Randi Picarello, executive director of the business council, noted that the organization came up with the Dine for Dollars event to support local restaurants as well as the food pantry, as both were hit hard by the global health crisis.

“The number of residents the food pantry fed went up exponentially during the pandemic,” she said. “The only number that was equally shocking was the decrease in the number of residents the restaurants were able to serve.”

Harry Toromanides, owner of The Main Line Diner and Johnny’s Pizzeria, was thankful that his restaurants were featured in the Dine for Dollars event.

“It’s given us a great boost both in business and in our self-esteem,” he said.

Doug Hantusch, a volunteer at the Town of Montgomery Food Pantry, expressed how thankful Treasurer Peter Sullivan and Board President Judy Gridley were for the hard work of the business council as well as the town.

“I can only express on their behalf how thankful we are for everything, to the Business Council of Greater Montgomery and the Town of Montgomery for this great effort,” he said. “The support that we get from the community is unparalleled.”

Picarello was proud of the greater Montgomery community for coming together to help local restaurants as well as the food pantry.

“This campaign proved that when we work together we go from three villages to a greater Montgomery and everyone wins,” she said.