State funding keeps food pantry shelves stocked
CHENANGO COUNTY – Despite being turned away from federal funding for the second consecutive year, area food pantries were recently given reason to breath a small sigh of relief.
It was announced last week that the Food Bank of Central New York, the conduit of state funding for local food pantries, will receive $382,722 from the New York State Set-Aside Board to allocate to 268 food programs encompassing 11 counties, including Chenango. Funding comes as part of a larger $4.5 million in state grants to help 2,600 emergency food providers statewide respond to an increased need for food assistance that resulted from the $5 billion in federal funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in November.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Board of Chenango County says the area is slated to receive nearly $12,000 in funding to help local food pantries and soup kitchens close the gap created by the loss of federal assistance. Food programs must apply for funding by Dec. 31 to be eligible. The board will allocate funding on Jan. 9.
To date, there are 18 food pantries and soup kitchens in the county that are able to receive funding. However, more may have been founded since funding was last allocated earlier this year, explained Elizabeth Monaco, chair of the Chenango Emergency Food and Shelter Board.
“Primarily, this money goes to pantries and soup kitchens for the purchase of food,” she said, noting the committee received state funding last year as well. “In the past, the committee has tended to favor applications that focus on hunger.”
Monaco also pointed out that while state funding gives local pantries some breathing room, it’s only half of what the county once received through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter Board. FEMA denied Chenango County funding for the first time in 2012, citing the county’s drop in unemployment as a factor.
Said Monaco, “We are happy the state has seen that we do have a need and despite cuts in funding at the federal level, we are appreciative of state funding.”
Although local unemployment has dropped (down three percent since January), the needs at the Chenango County Roots and Wings food pantry have never been greater. The agency saw record breaking numbers this year and in some instances, were forced to turn people away because shelves were bare. Roots and Wings plans to submit an application for funding to the Chenango Emergency Food and Shelter Board in the coming weeks.
“State funding is good news that is the result of bad news,” said Roots and Wings Director Gary Quarella. “FEMA saw the Chenango County economy improve to a point that they feel they don’t need to help anymore, but our numbers are higher than they have ever been ... It’s scary because the need keeps growing. They can look at the county and think the county doesn’t need help; but the number of families seeking support continues to grow and a lot of them are working families that just can’t make ends meet.”
The Roots and Wings food pantry served more than 5,300 families in 2012 and although final numbers for 2013 are weeks away, the agency expects to top that figure come the end of the year. Similar numbers are seen at the Our Daily Bread Food Closet at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Norwich.
According to survey research conducted by the Food Bank of Central New York, the number of people turning to emergency food assistance in the 11 counties it serves has increased more than 80 percent since 2006. What’s more, an estimated 37 percent of emergency food recipients are children under the age of 18; 73 percent are food insecure (meaning the don’t know where the next meal will come from); and 32 percent are very food insecure (when a family member reduces food intake to be sure there is enough food for others).
“There has been a lot of community support. We are lucky in that regard,” said Quarella. “There have been local donors and communities and businesses that do food drives for us throughout the entire year. It’s a challenge and we really appreciate the support of the community because there are a lot of people who help continue to make this work.”
It was announced last week that the Food Bank of Central New York, the conduit of state funding for local food pantries, will receive $382,722 from the New York State Set-Aside Board to allocate to 268 food programs encompassing 11 counties, including Chenango. Funding comes as part of a larger $4.5 million in state grants to help 2,600 emergency food providers statewide respond to an increased need for food assistance that resulted from the $5 billion in federal funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in November.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Board of Chenango County says the area is slated to receive nearly $12,000 in funding to help local food pantries and soup kitchens close the gap created by the loss of federal assistance. Food programs must apply for funding by Dec. 31 to be eligible. The board will allocate funding on Jan. 9.
To date, there are 18 food pantries and soup kitchens in the county that are able to receive funding. However, more may have been founded since funding was last allocated earlier this year, explained Elizabeth Monaco, chair of the Chenango Emergency Food and Shelter Board.
“Primarily, this money goes to pantries and soup kitchens for the purchase of food,” she said, noting the committee received state funding last year as well. “In the past, the committee has tended to favor applications that focus on hunger.”
Monaco also pointed out that while state funding gives local pantries some breathing room, it’s only half of what the county once received through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter Board. FEMA denied Chenango County funding for the first time in 2012, citing the county’s drop in unemployment as a factor.
Said Monaco, “We are happy the state has seen that we do have a need and despite cuts in funding at the federal level, we are appreciative of state funding.”
Although local unemployment has dropped (down three percent since January), the needs at the Chenango County Roots and Wings food pantry have never been greater. The agency saw record breaking numbers this year and in some instances, were forced to turn people away because shelves were bare. Roots and Wings plans to submit an application for funding to the Chenango Emergency Food and Shelter Board in the coming weeks.
“State funding is good news that is the result of bad news,” said Roots and Wings Director Gary Quarella. “FEMA saw the Chenango County economy improve to a point that they feel they don’t need to help anymore, but our numbers are higher than they have ever been ... It’s scary because the need keeps growing. They can look at the county and think the county doesn’t need help; but the number of families seeking support continues to grow and a lot of them are working families that just can’t make ends meet.”
The Roots and Wings food pantry served more than 5,300 families in 2012 and although final numbers for 2013 are weeks away, the agency expects to top that figure come the end of the year. Similar numbers are seen at the Our Daily Bread Food Closet at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Norwich.
According to survey research conducted by the Food Bank of Central New York, the number of people turning to emergency food assistance in the 11 counties it serves has increased more than 80 percent since 2006. What’s more, an estimated 37 percent of emergency food recipients are children under the age of 18; 73 percent are food insecure (meaning the don’t know where the next meal will come from); and 32 percent are very food insecure (when a family member reduces food intake to be sure there is enough food for others).
“There has been a lot of community support. We are lucky in that regard,” said Quarella. “There have been local donors and communities and businesses that do food drives for us throughout the entire year. It’s a challenge and we really appreciate the support of the community because there are a lot of people who help continue to make this work.”
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