One chilled December morning inside the Food Bank of Central New York, about 30 volunteers examined canned vegetables and cereal boxes, checking each package for food safety. The products were then sorted in labeled cardboard boxes — a process that allows pantries across upstate New York to order exactly what they need for its local programs.

The Food Bank of Central New York is partnering with local grocery stores to boost donations this holiday season, including Tops Friendly Markets and Wegmans. But Chief Development Officer Lynn Hy said the bank works to get food out to the community every day, no matter what time of year it is.

“There isn’t just hunger during the holidays,” Hy said. “It is 365 days a year.”

Inside the Food Bank of Central New York, the whirring sound of machinery fills the 36,000 square-foot dry storage area as forklifts move boxes of food to the nearly ceiling-high shelves. The bank stocks its distribution center with food from the United States government and donations from local grocery stores and producers, along with its own purchases.

At the pull of a rope hanging from the warehouse ceiling, two floor-to-ceiling doors slide apart to reveal a 25,000 square foot refrigerator. This massive unit boasts three chilled rooms kept at different temperatures to store fresh and frozen foods.

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In its last fiscal year, the Food Bank of Central New York distributed 14.5 million pounds of food to the 11 counties in its service area. Now, about 60 staff members and more than 1,000 volunteers help feed upstate New York by sourcing local food pantries and developing community programs.

Saint Lucy’s Food Pantry on Gifford Street is part of the network of local organizations that use the Food Bank of Central New York’s services. The pantry orders what foods they need, then the food bank delivers it, said Pantry Coordinator Leslie Dubiel. She said she got involved with the pantry after being “taken aback by the poverty here.”

The food pantry at The Salvation Army of Onondaga County also partners with the Food Bank of Central New York — where they get approximately 60 percent of the pantry’s food, said Vadra Skinkle, the practical assistance supervisor at The Salvation Army.

When Skinkle enters the food pantry, she greets familiar faces waiting in the lobby. She helps maintain the food pantry by preparing paperwork and checking in on volunteers.

The pantry, with two rooms of dry goods and a refrigerator filled with fresh meat, follows the Food Bank of Central New York’s guidelines for a model setup. When The Salvation Army was in need of a new freezer, Skinkle said the food bank helped fund what would’ve otherwise cost the pantry $5,000.

“I work pretty closely with the food bank, specifically with the healthy pantry initiative and making sure that we have healthy options available for the clients,” Skinkle said. To encourage healthier eating, the pantry gives fresh produce away for free. Other foods are purchased through a point system, where families are allotted a certain number of points based on the size of the family.

This past November, the food pantry at The Salvation Army of Onondaga County in downtown Syracuse served more than 1,200 clients. Haley Robertson | Asst. Feature Editor

When a client comes to The Salvation Army Food Pantry, staff members and volunteers assist them in picking food items from the pantry aisles. Mondays and Fridays are typically the busiest days for the pantry, Skinkle said, because The Salvation Army is one of the only downtown Syracuse pantries open on both days. This past November, The Salvation Army Food Pantry served 1,259 clients.

In her experience at The Salvation Army, Skinkle has seen more working families coming to the food pantry. She said most people may think that food pantries primarily serve the city’s homeless population, but that’s not the case.

“The pantry doesn’t even serve homeless people because homeless people have nowhere to go and cook the food that we have,” Skinkle said, adding that the pantry instead offers the homeless baked goods and resources to find meal sites.

The Food Bank of Central New York also sees the face of hunger changing. Working-class clients are often forced to make difficult decisions, Hy said, such as deciding between paying for a prescription or eating dinner.

Although the central New York community has been financially supportive of the Food Bank’s efforts, Hy said the organization is still working to better serve the region. She encourages people to help out if they can, whether it’s running a food drive, volunteering at a pantry or donating — $5 can fund 15 meals.

“We’re not just resting on our laurels,” Hy said. “We’re always looking and exploring and trying to figure out the best way to get food out there efficiently.”

As a mother herself, Hy said she can’t imagine not being able to provide food for her five-year-old son. Her son probably knows more about food banks than most five-year-olds, Hy said, but she believes it’s important for him to know. He visits the food bank and enjoys volunteering at events with his mother, who helps him recognize that not every person has a warm house and a big closet of clothes.

“There’s people in need everywhere, you just can’t see it,” Hy said.

Published on December 11, 2018 at 8:30 pm

Contact Haley: hrober03@syr.edu