According to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, 2024 will see an increase in people experiencing food insecurity issues across the region.
There are resources readily available to assist people with short-term and long-term food needs.
The food bank serves as a collection center for dozens of food pantries and other outlets in Broome, Tioga, Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler and Tompkins counties.
Additionally, the food bank operates mobile food pantries and also runs programs targeting at-risk children, including a backpack program, a kids' farmer's market and a summer food service program.
Here are some ways residents experiencing food insecurity can get help.
Southern Tier Food Pantry
Each county in the food bank's service area has several food pantries, many of which are run by churches or other local organizations.
Food banks regularly provide these pantries with fresh produce, dairy products, and other food items, and sponsoring organizations provide volunteers to staff each facility and serve the public.
Many locations are open at specific times on certain days of the week. For more information about Southern Tier food pantry locations and hours of operation, visit the food bank's website at https://www.foodbankst.org/find-food/.
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Mobile food distribution center
Mobile food pantries are trucks used to deliver fresh produce and other foods and groceries directly to distribution points where people need food.
Each truck can transport up to 15,000 pounds of food, providing nutritious food to 200-250 families to help support their livelihoods.
The food bank partners with local sponsoring organizations that provide volunteers to transport the mobile food pantries to pre-designated locations.
Programs for at-risk children
The food bank's backpack program provides packs of nutritious, kid-friendly foods to registered children on Fridays and before school holidays.
Each pack contains shelf stable, easy to prepare meals in unbreakable containers. Each pack contains two proteins, two grains, two dairy products, and two fruits or vegetables.
Kids Farmers Market is a distribution that provides free fresh fruits and vegetables to children who are at risk of hunger and food insecurity and who may not have regular access to produce.
The program will run throughout the school year in conjunction with after-school programs, as well as during the summer in conjunction with existing summer meal sites.
The summer meal program is designed to fill nutrition gaps during the summer when school is out and ensure children get the nutritious meals they need.
The Food Bank of the Southern Tier is sponsoring several summer food service program sites throughout the region.
School food centers are spaces within schools where food and other food items can be distributed free of charge, offering a variety of items for students and families to choose from to meet their needs.
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Other Food Bank Programs
Through nutrition workshops and cooking classes, the Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables program helps low-income families make nutritious food choices and prepare healthy meals for their families.
The Healthy Harvest program allows the food bank to purchase produce from local farmers, distribute fresh, nutritious produce, and raise awareness about the need for food assistance in the local farming community.
With support from a grant from the Walmart Foundation, the food bank expanded its program to include other area producers this year, expanding its supply of fresh produce beyond the local harvest season.
For more information about these programs, contact Food Bank of the Southern Tier at 607-796-6061 or visit foodbankst.org/about-us/our-programs .
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