Utica Food Pantry

Our newest corporate employer CREE, along with EXCYTE, the contractor building their new facility in Marcy, is hosting a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit individuals served by the Utica Food Pantry. The drive is being run for three weeksCREE will distribute a handle grocery bag to their employees that have a list of items needed to complement a turkey dinner. The bags will be collected on-site and the Pantry will pick up the donations on Saturday, November 14th. Items collected will be distributed by the Pantry at its annual Turkey distribution event. We want to thank CREE for its corporate leadership in fighting food insecurity in our community and add our warm welcome to our area. We are honored for you to partner with us!

The Pantry recently had a representative from United Healthcare on-site to discuss health care coverage with our clientele. Educating our clients and providing them with information on issues that impact their lives is a service we provide on a regular basis.

Another Day, another donation! XPI Relief located in Miami, Fla, and operated by Benjamin Masters, a former resident of Utica, provided the Pantry with 50 Face Mask and sterile glove kits. These kits will be available to our staff and wonderful volunteers as we continue to adhere to CDC safe practices in our distribution of food to those in need. Thank you for thinking of us! We wish continued success to your great organization that is providing relief packages to so many other non-profits in need.

Thanks to the generous support of the community, last month, the Utica Food Pantry distributed 12,599 pounds of groceries to 393 households, including 52 new registrations. Food distributed impacted 724 individuals of which 28% were children under the age of 16 and close to 10% were seniors over the age of 65,

A big thank you to the Ladies Auxiliary at the Utica Legion Post 229 for collecting personal care items that will be distributed to families in need. Dorothy Bailey, Treasurer, and Barbara Chudy, Chairperson for Children & Youth presented the Pantry with a large supply of shampoos, toothpaste, toothbrushes and other toiletries that were collected by the Ladies Auxiliary in a September drive held at the Post. Items collected are not covered by SNAP and will be of great value to our clients. This is just another example of the caring spirit of our community and its concern for those less fortunate. Our thanks to all who participated!

Now more than ever, Every Action Counts: Donate. Advocate. Share. Volunteer. You can make a difference every day by taking actions like donating, advocating for hunger relief policies, volunteering at a local food pantry or even sharing information on social media. Together, we can end hunger in our community! Take action today to help us fight food insecurity in our community. Become a monthly donor! Just $21 a month provides a week’s worth of groceries to a family of four. That’s less than $1 a day. Join our fight against hunger at uticanyfoodpantry.org/donate.

September is Hunger Action Month--here are some ways you can join us in taking action against hunger this month! https://www.uticanyfoodpantry.org//5-simple-ways-to-be-a-h

Thank you, Clifford Fuel Company for donating $5,000 to support the Utica Food Pantry. Your generosity will help improve the lives of Utica's low-income families facing food insecurity amid the pandemic. James Clifford, President of Clifford Fuel Company presenting the check to Russell Brooks, Pantry Board President.

In our next issue, Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon talks about her memories of serving on the UFP board, moms share what brought them to our school lunch giveaway, and some ways you can get involved with Hunger Action Month. If you haven't signed up for our email newsletter yet, just click this link: http://eepurl.com/g9PjMD

For more than 2 million New Yorkers, food insecurity is a daily reality. Those who experience hunger can be found in our community---they are our friends, family, and neighbors. While hunger is a year-round issuethis month we are placing an even brighter spotlight on this cause. Will you join us? One of the easiest ways to get involved is by organizing a food drive or volunteer your time. Visit our website www.uticanyfoodpantry.org to learn more! Or call us at (315) 724-6000