It’s not unusual to see an increase in demand for food assistance during the holiday season. However, the increase this year has been, and is expected to continue to be, far greater than is normally seen. Much of this is due to rising food prices nationwide and the impact of the government shutdown. According to Diane Hannum, Executive Director of Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF), “Local pantries are seeing more neighbors turn to them for food. This increase began even before the SNAP pause. Seeing this level of need is heartbreaking, but it is exactly why the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation exists. When our neighbors are struggling, we step forward. Supporting our local pantries and the families they serve is at the core of our mission.”

In response to documented need and the increasing demand for food throughout the area, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation will award emergency response grants totaling $53,000 to FeedMore WNY, local food pantries, soup kitchens, school pantries and backpack programs to help them provide sufficient amounts of nutritious food to ensure all people in northern Chautauqua County are adequately fed.

The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation’s Board of Directors has approved allotments of $32,000 for FeedMore of WNY to restock local pantries and $23,000 to be disbursed directly to local pantries and other food assistance programs located throughout northern Chautauqua County. The funds provided to FeedMore allow bulk purchased goods to be efficiently distributed to northern Chautauqua food assistance programs through a central hub. Funds going directly to local pantries and other programs, meanwhile, allow them the flexibility to purchase food locally to fill gaps in what is available through FeedMore WNY and tailor assistance to match local needs.

Pantries directly receiving funds include the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Salvation Army, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Food Closet in Dunkirk; Brocton-Portland Food Pantry; Neighbor to Neighbor Food Pantry in Forestville; Forestville Food Pantry, Inc.; The Fred Basket in Fredonia; Ripley Community Council Food Pantry; and the Silver Creek Food Pantry.

Other programs receiving funds include the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry Friendly Kitchen, Dunkirk and Fredonia school pantries, and School backpack programs in elementary Schools 3 and 7 in Dunkirk, Brocton, and Silver Creek, as well as to the Ripley, Fredonia, and Pine Valley Central School districts. Backpack programs send nutritious food packed in backpacks to families identified by school personnel as in need of this assistance.

Local residents experiencing food insecurity can locate a food assistance program near them in the “Find Resources” section on the 211wny.org website. They need only to type “food” and enter their ZIP code to show programs near their home.

The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and Chautauqua Region Community Foundation have also been working in partnership to monitor, assess, evaluate, and address food insecurity needs throughout the county, ensuring that all people in Chautauqua County have access to the food they need to keep themselves and their families healthy. Everyone in the community benefits when people of all ages are able to meet their basic food needs.

The NCCF is a tax-exempt charitable organization inherently committed to enhancing the northern Chautauqua community and encouraging local philanthropy. As a nationally accredited community foundation, the NCCF has proven compliance with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, demonstrating integrity, equity, accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in meeting the needs of its community.

This emergency response funding is made possible through the generosity of the many donors who have established Community Funds at NCCF. Contributors can assist their neighbors and positively impact northern Chautauqua County communities by making donations to the funds. Since its incorporation in 1986, the NCCF has invested over $23 million in northern Chautauqua County through strategic grantmaking, targeted scholarships, and leadership and community collaborations.

The NCCF’s Today. Tomorrow. Together. campaign is focused on these crucial funds. To learn more about the campaign or make a contribution online, visit our website at nccfoundation.org. To create your own Community Fund at NCCF, email nccf@nccfoundation.org or call our office at 716-366-4892 for more information.

Leslie Wille is community engagement coordinator at Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation.