BY: Keith S. Shikowitz, Editor/Investigative Reporter
The NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was established in 1909 and is the oldest civil rights organization in the United States. It aims to protect and advance the civil rights of African Americans and other minorities. The NAACP maintains over 2,200 affiliates across the U.S., the District of Columbia, Japan, and Germany, and claims a membership exceeding 500,000. The organization utilizes legal action, lobbying, protest, and publicity.
On October 18, 2025, the Spring Valley chapter celebrated its 70th Freedom Fund Celebration at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern. A number of people were recognized with awards for their contributions to their community. One of those honored was Reverend Teresa Darden and the Upper Room House of Worship for their service to the neighborhoods with their food pantries every Thursday and on some Saturdays around their Spring Valley church. She received the Humanitarian Award.
Reverend Teresa holding her Humanitarian Award
President William J. Trotman took to the podium and praised all of the award recipients. He spoke highly of each one and their accomplishments and contributions to the community. When he got to Reverend Teresa Darden and the Upper Room House of Worship, he said the following:
Just to give you more of an insight into Reverend Darden and her philosophy as to her reason for doing this, in an article I wrote in November of 2020, I explained about how Reverend Darden helps her community during the year and especially during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Answering the call to help in Spring Valley is Reverend Teresa Darden of the Upper House Room of Worship, at 18 Bethune Blvd. Darden is making sure, to the best of her ability that the community around her church and from where ever else they come from have food to put on their dining table.
On Sunday November 22, she led a Thanksgiving Food Drive which gave over 600 families a turkey and all the fixings and then some for this holiday. There were even carry bags with school supplies, blankets, and headphones for the kids.
The food boxes included, juices, fresh fruit, canned goods, napkins, potatoes, milk, eggs, cereal, butter, sleeves of cheese and of course a turkey that people could pick up from a truck that was loaded with boxes of them on their way out.
According to Darden they have been doing this Thanksgiving giveaway since 1995. “Oh yes it has grown, especially during COVID. You can see there’s a lot, a lot of people. The line is wrapped around the block. The increase in families needing assistance over last year is triple. 2019 a little over 200 families. This year we are looking at over 600.”
The one big worry with food pantries and giveaways is that you can’t predict with any certainty how many people are going to show up. You can only guesstimate. If word gets around and 100 families more than they planned for show up, people have to be turned away, unfortunately. Was Darden afraid they might run out of food before they ran out of people?
“Possibly yes. We’re hoping we have enough. We have planned, most likely we may just run out of food. We do have what we call overflow. Even if we run out of turkeys, we do have chickens that we can give out today. I believe we have plenty of the eggs, milk and stuff like that. We have enough to feed at least 600 families today.” Darden explained.
They have never run out of people before they run out of food, especially at Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving we’re usually dry. We do wind up having some that we have to turn away, even before COVID. There’s a great need, especially here in Spring Valley because there’s a lot of low – income families here. A lot of them receive subsidized housing. DSS (Department of Social Services) and unemployment is high, even more so now with COVID. What you see here is the unemployment is very high. So many families are in need.”
As a reverend, it’s part of your calling to do these things. What does it do for you in your heart to see the need but to also take care of the need? “It is so rewarding to be here see, just to get the thank you and like the tears this morning from a mother who was so grateful for just the food that was given today alone. This means a lot to the families. We give out food every week and we give out at least three times in a week. Thanksgiving is always special because everybody likes to have family and have enough on their table. This is special. Thanksgiving is family time.”
Samuel Lamb who has volunteered and helped Darden organize her events, says they’re just providing as much as possible to the community as they can. “We’ve done this all summer long. People don’t understand the amount of energy and work it takes to do this. I give her credit. I give here total credit. She spends hours and hours here just organizing this. Then to turn around and give it out. It’s a lot of work.”
Darden’s tireless work will continue with the Christmas season with toy and food giveaways. Date to be determined.
Darden was described as the person who has led the Upper Room House of Worship and the Rockland Jail Outreach Ministry since 1998, building a faith-based community rooted in service, compassion, and restoration. As a community serving under her leadership, the ministry operates a food bank serving over 1500 families monthly.
She also runs vital outreach programs providing school supplies, holiday gifts, coats, and essentials to families in need and those impacted by incarceration.
Visionary builder Reverend Darden is spearheading efforts to construct a new house of worship envisioned as a beacon of hope and faith, inviting community support to create a lasting home for worship, fellowship, and future generations.
Darden, in her typical humble way thanked God for where she is in her life and the life of her community. She also called upon all the people who have been with her for all of the years she ahs been doing this to receive the recognition she feels they deserve.
She continued by explaining about her personal journey and how the Upper Room came about. She arrived in Spring Valley from North Carolina when she was 20 years old all she had was a $100 bill in her pocketbook.
“When I got here I had nothing and from nothing, God made something. For that I am grateful. I learned how to fight, learn how to survive with two children at 20 years old. A lot of the things that I learned, I learned from my mother, who was filled with a lot of hospitality. No matter who came. She always had something to offer even if it was a glass of water. I’m so grateful for that because I watched her and from watching her, it made me the person that I am today.”
She then spoke of the help God has given her and she gave credit to all of the people who have been there helping her throughout the years.
“We were able to because it’s not nothing that I could take credit for all on my own, but it takes a village, and he has made the world light. I’m telling you the Upper Room House of Worship and the community and I, even Keith that is here and his wife Stephanie and their family and so many more, all of them here and all of my family is not here and all the volunteers are not here. We all volunteer and I was just joking with them, and they know sometimes when I call them up and you know they would say, oh, pastor is calling.
Reverend Teresa Darden and her church family
Darden went on to thank Willie Trotman. “I’d be remised to not mention it Mister Trotman. I don’t know how he does his rounds, but he makes his rounds even to see us every week. I can hear his footsteps, and he comes and he is so encouraging. I want you to know that Mr. Trotman, you are so encouraging, and I am so glad that God put you in our path for the Upper Room House of Worship. You have been a blessing to us. You are always encouraging us.”
“I would like to say even our volunteers, I have… They’re not just volunteers; they’re part of the Upper Room also Jose and Rosie and Jose’s wife Carna that’s with us on today. They’ve been with us, and they are great people. They have remained with us. Like I said, everybody that comes, they are workers. If you see people come to the Upper Room. And you see them quickly come and quickly go it’s because there’s a lot of work in the other room.” With a smile amongst the laughter she added, “And that is no joke.”
She concluded, “I thank you so very much for listening to me on today, and I thank you so very much for recognizing us all on today. We desire to continue the work by putting our hands to the plow, not looking back, and we look forward to the day for you all are invited to the Upper Room House of Worship for our grand opening, the first of the year. Amen.
Other award recipients were:
Dr. Betty Rosa who received the President’s Award of Excellence
William Batson who received the Virginia Atkins Beasley Lifetime Achievement Award
June Lee Van Dunk who was awarded the Unsung Hero Award
The Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center receiving the Community Service Award
Congratulations to all of the 2025 award recipients.