ELMSFORD, NY (October 22, 2025)
More than 1 in 3 children in Westchester are at risk of hunger, and that number is growing as costs rise and relief programs like SNAP are cut. In one of the wealthiest counties in the country, we can — and must — do better. Our children deserve enough food to grow, learn, and thrive. They deserve to be healthy, alert, and able to concentrate in school. We must give every child their best chance to succeed.
This was the premise for a panel discussion held at Feeding Westchester on September 30, the culmination of the food bank’s efforts spanning Hunger Action Month. The panel of experts featured:
- Danielle DeMaio, Feeding Westchester Board Member (Moderator)
- Allison Fasano, Teacher, Port Chester Middle School
- Krista Hesdorfer, MPA, Advocate, Hunger Solutions New York
- Emily Koelsch, MD, Pediatrician, Child Care Council of Westchester
- Monique Marshall, MS, RDN, CD-N, Registered Dietitian, Feeding Westchester
- Melissa Rodriguez, Principal, Enrico Fermi School
Additional information on the panelists is attached.
Two high quality videos from the event are available for media use and public viewing (links on following page):
HIGHLIGHT (00:01:58): https://youtu.be/KdvjitWnDe0?si=IMk53LJN0vYNY0r5
FULL EVENT REPLAY (01:12:00): https://youtu.be/4qDTfmnEja4
Panelist Information
| Danielle DeMaio, Moderator Feeding Westchester Board Member Danielle, a Westchester native and Edgemont resident with two children, devotes much of her time to community service, including serving on the boards of Feeding Westchester and Impact100 Westchester. With a background in management consulting and investment banking, Danielle’s philanthropic passion started with mentoring at-risk youth and continues through leadership roles in organizations supporting children and families. | |
| Allison Fasano Teacher | Port Chester Middle School Allison has taught Family & Consumer Sciences in the Port Chester School District for 19 years, weaving food justice, wellness, and community service into her curriculum. She leads the school pantry and Giving Garden, creating student-driven systems that fight food insecurity while teaching nutrition, cultural foodways, and social-emotional skills. | |
| Krista Hesdorfer, MPA Advocate | Hunger Solutions New York Krista serves as Director of Public Affairs at Hunger Solutions New York, a statewide anti-hunger organization focused on maximizing access to federal nutrition assistance programs. As part of this work, Krista manages state and federal advocacy campaigns to protect and strengthen SNAP, WIC, school meals, and other federal anti-hunger programs. | |
| Emily Koelsch, MD Pediatrician | Child Care Council of Westchester Emily is a pediatrician at Pediatrics of Sleepy Hollow, where she has cared for children in the River Towns community for 15 years. She also serves as Board President of the Child Care Council of Westchester and is a strong advocate for early childhood education, development, and addressing food insecurity. | |
| Monique Marshall, MS, RDN, CD-N Registered Dietitian | Feeding Westchester Monique has eight years of experience as a Registered & NY State Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, with expertise spanning clinical, community, and food service management. She is passionate about expanding access to healthy food and promoting nutrition, wellness, and food literacy to improve community health across Westchester. | |
| Melissa Rodriguez Principal | Enrico Fermi School Melissa has served the Yonkers Public Schools district for over 17 years, including three as principal of Enrico Fermi School, the largest Pre K–8 school in the city. She recently spearheaded the partnership with Feeding Westchester to create La Bodeguita de Fermi, the district’s newest in-school food pantry, reflecting her deep commitment to supporting children and families. |
Website and Social Media
Please include links to Feeding Westchester’s website where possible (feedingwestchester.org) and follow us on social media:
Feeding Westchester serves Westchester County, providing food to a hunger-relief network of 175 partners. With a mission to nourish our neighbors in the fight against hunger, the organization sources and distributes good, nutritious food and other resources to wherever it is needed most.
In fiscal year 2025, Feeding Westchester provided more than 21 million pounds of food equivalent to more than 17 million meals through soup kitchens, food pantries, schools, shelters, residential programs, and mobile distributions. That served an average of 235,000 neighbor visits – including visits from children, seniors, veterans, and hardworking families – every month. The nonprofit, a 4-star Charity Navigator organization, is committed to creating a community where all people have access to the food they need today, and the fundamental resources to build a better tomorrow.
Feeding Westchester is located at 200 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. For more information, or to donate, visit feedingwestchester.org.
