The Rural Ministry has righted the ship thanks to significant community support and diligent work from the Rural Ministry staff, volunteers and board members. But the road to regaining stability has not been easy.

“It was tough. There were times, even last year, that we were trying to make sure we were keeping the doors open. We weren’t sure if we were going to,” Executive Director Bridget Majka said. “We’re doing OK right now. We are holding our own.”

While things appear to be improving in terms of stability as an organization, Majka knows that the biggest need of the community that the organization addresses — food insecurity — is only getting worse.

With inflation coupled with federal cuts in a variety of areas nationwide, food insecurity is more prevalent than ever.

OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen The Friendly Kitchen provides nutritious meals in a community environment to individuals combating food insecurity.

Majka knows that when individuals are faced with tough choices on what to spend their money on, food is not always the top priority because it is easier to find help with food than it is with other needs like mortgage/rent or medical bills. That often means the Rural Ministry is the place to turn for help, and the small staff and volunteers that keep it afloat are put to work.

“It’s obviously very, very challenging, because we don’t know when the money to us is going to stop. It could be any day,” Majka said. “We just work hard every day and think of solutions. What is the best way for us to help other people? … We’re very intentional on what we purchase.”

Especially in the past few years, the Rural Ministry has dedicated the majority of its focus on fighting food insecurity. It does so through “The Friendly Kitchen”, its on-site service that provides hot meals in a welcoming and supportive environment. Guests of all ages are offered a nutritious meal in a group setting that provides a sense of community.

The Friendly Kitchen provides 17 meals per week with the support of FeedMore, which Majka said really helps with providing meals to the community. Meals are also bagged and delivered to the Econolodge for those who cannot make it to the Rural Ministry in Dunkirk.

“We’re trying to get to people as best we can,” Majka said.

OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen The Rural Ministry’s Emergency Food Pantry supports individuals battling food insecurity.

The Rural Ministry also houses an Emergency Food Pantry for guests to take what they need in an effort to address food insecurity. According to Majka, the Emergency Food Pantry provides close to 160,000 meals each year.

Majka said the Rural Ministry is looking at taking it “a step further” from just providing food through a meal at the Friendly Kitchen or a can of food from the Food Pantry. The Rural Ministry has begun teaching gardening skills to help others sustain their own food, which is especially useful with the cuts nationwide to programs like the Rural Ministry offers.

The Rural Ministry, located on Washington Avenue in Dunkirk, has weathered the storm despite several very challenging years, beginning with the pandemic. Things only became more challenging in the past few years, as longtime Executive Director Kathleen Peterson suddenly passed away in the fall of 2023. Her death left the organization tasked with identifying new leadership for the first time in 37 years.

The Rural Ministry was forced to find a new leader during an already turbulent time due to the funding issues it faced, including the loss of a significant long-term grant of roughly $200,000 annually.

Through the pandemic, revenue at the Rural Ministry was down significantly due to lack of grants. Total revenue in 2020 was $549,094, and it was not much higher in 2021, at $614,661.

Coming out of the pandemic, revenue jumped to $1,187,050 in 2022, then $1,010,350 in 2023. The problem was the expenses shot up too. In 2023, total expenses of the Rural Ministry were $1,052,049, resulting in a deficit of over $40,000.

In 2024, revenue significantly dropped to $771,728 — a decrease of $238,622 in one year — while expenses were $833,469, resulting in a deficit of over $60,000.

In response, the Rural Ministry made significant cuts to staffing, reducing its salaries and wages of staff from $220,295 to $174,113 to combat the decrease in funding. Still, its deficit for the year was over $60,000 even after the cuts.

Over a two-year period, the Rural Ministry lost more than $100,000, bringing its fund balance at the end of 2024 to $175,111. Majka said this past year’s finances were in a better place, without a significant deficit like the two prior years.

Grant funding is the major source of revenue for the Rural Ministry. The state of New York recently awarded an emergency grant to support the Rural Ministry. In other funding avenues, the Rural Ministry is collaborating with the Family Time Supervised Visitation program through Chautauqua County. The Rural Ministry also contracts with the Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative for additional funding.

Community fundraising also plays a major role in keeping the organization running. Majka credits the community for its support in keeping the organization afloat over the past few years.

“We are so fortunate in this area. There are so many people that are so generous,” Majka said. “I want people to know how thankful I am, personally. Just that people are recognizing us … and to be able to show my staff that their work is meaningful. They are helping people, and that’s what we all should do. Helping people is what life is about.”

To donate to the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, monetary donations or items for the food pantry are welcomed at 319 Washington Ave., Dunkirk. Majka also noted that individuals who are willing to donate their time are greatly appreciated, from volunteering to help with duties at the Rural Ministry.

“That helps us tremendously,” Majka said. “That allows for the staff to do their jobs and not have to pitch in to do other things.”

The Rural Ministry has several fundraising events throughout the year. Next up is the annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration at the Route 5 Event Center in May. More information will be released at a later date.