The first time Kelly Sauders donated to Sidewalk Warriors, she and her daughter Madeline dropped off steaming, home-baked ziti at the nonprofit’s distribution center in Troy. They returned the following week with canned and boxed goods, and stayed to volunteer for a few hours.
“Over the years, I’ve given a lot of time and money to different organizations in the Capital Region,” says Sauders, who now sits on the Sidewalk Warriors board. “What’s different about Sidewalk Warriors is it’s really easy to just show up and volunteer, but it’s also really hands-on.”
Founded in 2022 and with roots going back to 2018, Sidewalk Warriors sets up shop on the corner of State Street and 5th Avenue every Thursday (52 weeks a year, no matter the weather) to distribute food to anyone who needs it. Volunteers also hand out boots and coats in the winter and fans in the summer, but oftentimes, the real impact comes from extending small acts of kindness.
When Sauders and her daughter volunteered that first time, they met a man named Joe who was a bibliophile like Madeline. After volunteering, Sauders and Madeline swung by a bookstore. “My daughter bought a book with her own money and gave it to Joe the next Thursday,” says Sauders. “ It made me realize that we’re obviously providing people with food, but it’s also about seeing them as people and realizing that we have a lot more in common with each other than we have differences.”
Sauders is one of 10 honorees featured in the holiday issues of Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living. Join him and nine others at our 6th annual Capital Region Gives Back event, returning to Putnam Place at 6pm on December 11.
