NORTH ROCKLAND, NY — Rockland News is rallying the community with a heartfelt initiative this holiday season to combat food insecurity across the county. The initiative, with the title “Fast Forward,” is a one-day voluntary fasting event designed to raise funds for People to People Inc., one of Rockland’s largest providers of food and resources for those in need.
Set for Wednesday, December 10th, the Fast Forward campaign asks participants to skip at least one meal and donate the equivalent cost directly to People to People via their official website. All donations—100% of the proceeds—will go toward supporting families facing hunger, not just during the holidays, but throughout the entire year.
“This is something near and dear to my heart,” said Tom Ossa, President of Rockland News, in a video message promoting the campaign. He recounted his own childhood experience with a small amount of food insecurity, noting how community aid from a local church helped sustain his family during difficult times. “If it wasn’t for the church and some community providers back then, I don’t know what my mom and I would have done,” he shared.
To personally support the cause, Ossa recently completed a 36-hour test fast on Wednesday December 4th. He plans to spearhead it again on Wednesday December 10th, and donate all proceeds from the value of meals that are skipped (an average of $16.25 per meal. He hopes others in the community will participate, even if it’s as simple as skipping a single meal and making a small donation.
The event is more than a symbolic gesture—it’s a call to action, inviting residents to embrace a small degree of reserve, and turning that reserve into a collective impact. With just one meal’s worth of giving being approximately $16.25, participants can contribute to a broader effort to ensure that fewer people in Rockland goes hungry during the holidays.
To learn more or to make a donation, visit the People to People website using the link below.