Food Bank of Central New York

Food distribution includes the acquisition and distribution program, Food rescue, retail partnership program (rpp), mobile Food pantry (mfp) and senior nutrition. Acquisition is composed of nutritious foods purchased through vendors, donations from donors, Food drives and grocery partners and Food rescue through agricultural, manufacturing and retail partnerships within our service area. These foods are then available for partner agencies to request for pickup/delivery to supplement the foods they already have in stock for distribution to low-income individuals and families within their communities. Food rescue consists of rpp and rescuing Food from agricultural, manufacturing and other retail organizations in our 11 county service area. Rpp collects donated grocery and perishable foods on a daily basis from retail partners within the service area. These foods are then delivered to a partner agency in that area; a system that keeps donations in the area of their origin and allows for produce and dairy items to go from the store shelf to the dinner table of individuals and families within their communities that same day. Mfp is a direct service distribution that works around Food access obstacles and areas defined as Food deserts. The Food Bank identifies communities and areas of unmet need and then delivers and distributes highly desirable perishable goods and other Food items directly to the individuals and families in these communities. Senior nutrition distributions are a direct service distribution through a collaboration with senior housing communities. This distribution model strives to reduce access barriers by providing safe, no-contact, home deliveries of high quality, nutritious foods specifically for this population. Currently distributing prepacked boxes monthly in partnership with housing communities in 8 counties at 41 locations.

Education and outreach is a program designed to help increase publicawareness of hunger and nutritional issues.

Outreach - outreach includes the nutrition outreach and education program (noep) and outreach program services in specific counties. Noep provides snap outreach (formerly known as Food stamp outreach) to residents of onondaga, cayuga, lewis and jefferson counties, as well as promoting participation in the summer Food service program and other federal feeding programs. Funded by the federal and state governments, this program is administered through hunger solutions New York, inc., a private not-for-profit entity. In oswego county, outreach program services provide snap prescreening, application and recertification assistance to the residents. Funded by the federal and state governments, administered through the respective county department of social services. Outreach is also offered through a call center referral line that are both funded through grants and private donations.