Sparrow's Nest, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering homecooked meals to Hudson Valley families facing a cancer diagnosis, is the beneficiary of our Winter 2025 Giving Project. Now through the end of March, when you purchase yarn at The Endless Skein to crochet the Scorpio Beanie by Ana-Maria, Sparrow's Nest will receive a portion of the proceeds.

We recently spoke with Krista Jones, Executive Director and Founder of Sparrow's Nest, to learn more about how the organization came into being and the meaningful work that they do.

How did Sparrow's Nest come about?

More than 20 years ago, when I first became a mom, I joined a mother’s group at Vassar Hospital. It was a safe haven where nurses offered advice, lent an ear to stressed-out moms, and helped us navigate the rollercoaster of motherhood. That’s where I met Kathy, a fellow mom of three young children.

Kathy and I quickly became close friends. We bonded over the shared chaos of motherhood and spent countless playdates at the beach, the park, the Crayola Factory, and the zoo. Kathy was the kind of mom who didn’t sweat the small stuff—she even let her kids eat whipped cream straight from the can. I admired her carefree, loving spirit. A few years into our friendship, Kathy was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. It was devastating news. Wanting to support her in any way I could, I began cooking meals for her family. Soon, other friends joined in, and together we provided homemade meals so Kathy could rest, knowing her children had healthy food on the table.

For nearly two years, Kathy fought with incredible strength, but on July 2, 2011, she took her final breath. Watching her navigate her illness while ensuring her children were cared for profoundly impacted me. She approached each day with grace, even as she prepared for the inevitable.

Just weeks after Kathy’s passing, I learned of several other friends facing cancer diagnoses. It was then I realized this was the start of something bigger than myself. With my husband’s support, I spent months planning, raising funds, and constructing a Health Department-approved kitchen at our home. It became a space where I could turn my grief and love into action—cooking meals for moms like Kathy, who were battling cancer while caring for their families.

That’s how Sparrow’s Nest began: with the simple but powerful idea that no family should have to choose between fighting cancer and putting food on the table.

Please tell us about your programs.

Our mission is to cook and deliver homemade meals to families navigating a cancer diagnosis. We serve families with children under 18 in parts of five Hudson Valley counties, ensuring they have access to nutritious food while undergoing treatment. Beginning next month in Dutchess County, we will remove the requirement of having children 18 and under in the home and will be able to feed anyone undergoing cancer treatment. Our hope is to slowly continue expanding the mission into all counties we serve over the next year. We also offer supplemental programs to further support our families:

Supplemental Food Program: Provides staple food items for low-income or at-risk families to alleviate financial burdens.

Camp Sparrow Program: Supplies easy-to-make lunch meals, fresh produce, and snacks during summer when kids are home from school.

Aftercare Program: Offers meal delivery for grieving families after the loss of a loved one to cancer.

Additional initiatives include partnerships with the Culinary Institute of America for dessert preparation, weekly cupcake deliveries for recipient birthdays, and more—all designed to bring comfort during difficult times. 

How has the organization changed over the years?

Sparrow's Nest started as a small organization based out of a commercial kitchen on the back of my home. Our initial mission was feeding moms with cancer. We quickly realized that wasn't enough, so we expanded to feeding moms and dads with cancer. As the mission grew, so did we, and we moved into a commercial space in the Summerlin Plaza in Wappingers Falls. With our new space we further expanded our mission to feeding moms, dads, and caregivers with cancer, and finally children. By that point we were bursting at the seams in our space, and I knew it was time to build. In 2024 we moved into our newly built 7,000 square foot facility located in Hopewell Junction, and will begin expanding our mission to feed anyone facing a cancer diagnosis in the coming year.

What is most rewarding about the work you do?

Being able to put two home-cooked, nutritious meals on the table of a family facing a cancer diagnosis and knowing it is one less thing they will need to worry about, is priceless.

What are some ways people can help?

We can always use volunteers to help with driving, events, and kitchen prep. In November we open up our very popular apple pie shifts, when volunteers come in and peel apples for our famous apple pies. Also, in our new space we need help with gardening, landscaping and "beautification" during the spring, summer and fall, as well as harvesting at local farms who help us provide fresh produce to our families. People can also help by purchasing Dress Down Day apparel (on sale now through February 19!), apple pies in November, participating in our Superhero Run in the spring or joining Team Sparrow. Local businesses who are looking for ways to get involved can explore partnership opportunities at the event or corporate level, participate in our Dress Down Day or host a dessert shift as a team building opportunity for staff!

Donating to Sparrow's Nest when possible is always an ask of ours. It is the generosity of our community that enables us to do what we do day in and day out.

Be sure to follow Sparrow's Nest on Instagram @sparrowsnestcharity and Facebook @oursparrowsnest.

Your yarn purchase to crochet the Scorpio Beanie, our Winter 2025 Giving project, will help support Sparrow's Nest's important work. Start your Winter Giving project today!