We are incredibly thankful for all the volunteers! Our network of volunteers works tirelessly supporting the 332 partner agencies and programs throughout our six-county service area. On Friday, October 3 the Food Bank of the Southern Tier hosted 180 volunteers and staff. The event was an annual celebration luncheon and awards at Tioga Downs Casino Resort, sponsored by Williams Auto. “I’m incredibly proud to lead an organization that is working hard to end hunger in the Southern Tier,” states Mark Bordeau, President and CEO. At the celebration there are four awards given out every year. The aw ..read more

There was a buzz in the air at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier warehouse on September 26. Over 100 employees from local companies gathered to participate in the 2024 Leader of the Pack Corporate Challenge. Also, a special thank you to this year’s sponsor, Wegmans. Challenges like this are more important than ever because hunger is everywhere in our community. From schools to churches and maybe even the house down the street. The reality is that in our community, today, 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children are at risk of food insecurity. Participating teams: Cameron Manufacturing and Design, C ..read more

Hunger is Everywhere and is a Challenge we can Overcome Together While people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families, there are more people today experiencing hunger than ever before. According to the latest data from Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study, the extra amount of money that people said they need to have enough food reached its highest poin t in the last 20 years. The number of people living in food-insecure households increased to 44 million across the country, including 13 million children. In New York State, 1 in 7 people experienced food insecu ..read more

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Break in the Summer – Record Levels of Children Experiencing Hunger  By: Sarah DeFrank, Director of Policy, Programs, & Partnerships  Hunger is not something that comes to mind when we think about summertime, generally thoughts of camping, cookouts, swimming, ice cream, berry picking—but not hunger—that is unless you are the one of the estimated 18,070 children (more than 250 school buses filled with children in every seat) who experience hunger in the Southern Tier. For these kids, summer is a challenge, a mixed bag, because summer doesn’t take a vacation ..read more

Stay tuned for the 2024 Kids’ Farmers Market locations and dates! What is a Kids’ Farmers Market? The Kids’ Farmers Market are a no-cost distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables for children who are at risk of hunger or food insecurity. The overall goals of the Kids’ Farmers Market are to: • Increase children’s exposure to fresh fruits and vegetables and create an awareness of the importance of eating these foods. • Encourage long-term nutritious eating patterns. • Create new and fun opportunities for learning about fruits and vegetables (including taste tests and recipes). • Give children ..read more

You helped provide a golden opportunity for 11 new graduates from the Food Bank’s Community Advocates Training Program to put their skills to the test over the summer. First, five members made live presentations during a graduation ceremony and spoke of the hardships, perseverance, and inspiration that led them to participate in the program. Another graduate recorded her speech for the large audience to watch. They had an opportunity to connect with Congressman Marc Molinaro, who also spoke at the event, sharing his own story of growing up with food insecurity. The Food Bank’s Community Empowe ..read more

With your help, the popular School Food Centers being used in 18 communities across our six-county region have grown from the roots of the BackPack Program, which provides food to students to take home over the weekend. These centers have taken the best parts of the BackPack Program and adapted them to fit what is most needed now. One School Food Center can be found at Enfield Elementary School. Partnering with the local pantry to support students and their families, it is set up just like a pantry, but located within the school. A long-time BackPack Program partner, Enfield saw its priorities ..read more

Mark Bordeau recently joined the Food Bank as President and CEO, bringing more than two decades of experience in the hunger relief and nonprofit sectors, as well as nine years as a Food Bank board member. Mark shares his thoughts on the new position, how his experience prepares him for the role, and how he sees the Food Bank supporting partners in this period of record high food requests. What inspired you to take this role? For me, it was many things. I have believed in the mission and vision of the Food Bank since I first started with the BackPack Program in 2006. I saw firsthand how great t ..read more

Let’s Talk About Turkeys…. The Food Bank has put together Thanksgiving Food Safety and Recipes Packet to help ensure your family has a food-safe Thanksgiving! Check it out! The post Thanksgiving Food Safety and Recipes first appeared on Food Bank of the Southern Tier ..read more

ELMIRA, NY – The Food Bank of the Southern Tier is excited to announce the launch of its annual Check-Out Hunger event, in partnership with Wegmans, now through November 29th. Check Out Hunger allows shoppers at one of five Wegmans stores throughout the Southern Tier (Corning, Elmira, Hornell, Ithaca, Johnson City) to donate right at the register when making their purchases. Throughout the campaign, Wegmans shoppers can donate $2, $3, or $5 to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier right at the register upon checkout. It really is that simple to help provide meals for our neighbors in need. With t ..read more