For the past 20 years, the Regional Food Bank has operated a 162-acre sustainable farm in Albany County, serving as a cornerstone of hunger relief across a 23-county region spanning from the lower Hudson Valley to the Canadian border. Each month, the Food Bank supports more than 355,000 neighbors in need through a network of 1,000 community partners. Since 2006, the Food Bank’s Patroon Land Farm has grown into a high-impact, community-supported initiative, producing more than 1.8 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed free of charge to individuals and families facing food insecurity. The Regional Food Bank also has a long history of partnering with New York State farmers and regional producers, purchasing and sourcing locally grown food, supporting agricultural markets, and strengthening the regional food system while ensuring fresh, high-quality products reach communities in need. In 2025, the Regional Food Bank distributed nearly 20 million pounds (of the 53 total million pounds distributed) of fresh farm produced products to neighbors in need.
Today the Regional Food Bank announced a new service area wide Agricultural Hub initiative that will grow produce and farm product distribution to 30 million pounds annually. The Regional Food Bank Agricultural Hub includes expanding capacity to grow, source, and distribute fresh, nutritious food by enhancing production at Patroon Land Farm, adding greenhouse and high tunnel infrastructure across key distribution sites, and strengthening partnerships with local farms. The initiative integrates innovative programs such as local farm micro-purchasing, customized pick-and-pack distribution, and both pantry-based and mobile farm stands to efficiently deliver fresh food to underserved communities. By combining regional sourcing, expanded yearly production, and targeted community distribution, the Agricultural Hub will marshal resources from throughout the Food Bank network to improve food access, support local agriculture, and build a more resilient and equitable food system, while also advancing sustainable farming practices and community education.
To kick off this innovative initiative the Regional Food Bank announced a $1 million federal grant secured by United State Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to support infrastructure improvements at the Patroon Land Farm, which the Food Bank operates and manages.
“The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York plays a critical role in feeding hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers every month. I’m proud to deliver $1 million in federal funding to completely transform the Food Bank’s Patroon Land Farm to provide more fresh, local produce for New Yorkers across a 23-county area,” said U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. “With a new community center and open-air structure, the Food Bank can boost the farm’s welcoming atmosphere for thousands of volunteers, visitors, and staff. After a year of cuts to critical food aid, I will always fight to boost access to healthy food for New Yorkers who need it.”
“The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York delivers essential nutrition assistance for our children and families in 23 counties, so that they don’t have to make the hard choice between paying for heat or food in the middle of winter,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. “Tom Nardacci and the entire team at the Regional Food Bank are incredible partners, and I’m proud to have worked to secure federal funding for new and upgraded infrastructure at the Patroon Land Farm to help the Regional Food Bank educate, fundraise, grow, and distribute healthy and fresh produce to New Yorkers in need. I’ll keep fighting for more federal funding to combat food insecurity and strengthen our communities in Upstate New York.”
This major federal funding will support the Food Bank’s investment in the efforts to provide local and healthy produce for our more than 1,000 agency partners, across a 23-county services area. The funding will be used for farm infrastructure improvements, allow for more volunteer opportunities, staff and educational experiences, and expand the farm’s capacity to efficiently provide nutritious, and quality food to better serve neighbors in need. Since 2006, the Regional Food Bank has managed and operated the Patroon Land Farm, in Voorheesville, next to John Boyd Thacher State Park. Located in Albany County, New York, at 162 acres of land, the farm is one of the largest and only farms managed by a food bank in the Feeding America network. This has been accomplished by a small farm team alongside more than 2,800 annual volunteers who seed, plant, weed, water, prune, and harvest more than 50 varieties of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Since 2006, more than 1.8 million pounds of produce has been harvested and distributed.
“This Agricultural Hub initiative will transform how we grow, source, and distribute fresh food across New York – expanding production, strengthening partnerships with local farms, and bringing more nutritious, locally grown produce directly into our communities,” said Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank. “We are incredibly grateful to our United States Senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, for their incredible support, which means New Yorkers throughout our 23-county service area will now have greater access to healthy, farm-fresh food. These infrastructure improvements also strengthen our volunteer efforts at the farm – critical to serving more than 355,000 people each month. The Innovation Partnership with Albany County and MVP Health Care brings us closer to eliminating the significant meal gap in the Capital Region and ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors have consistent access to nutritious food. Through these combined efforts, including ongoing support for Patroon Land Farm, the Food Bank continues to expand its impact and deepen its commitment to healthier communities.”
“This funding strengthens the Patroon Land Farm’s ability to grow and deliver fresh, local food to families who need it most, while also expanding opportunities for volunteers and community engagement. I’m grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for securing this support, and to the Regional Food Bank for the essential work they do every day to fight food insecurity across the Capital Region,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy.
“Access to fresh, nutritious food is not just a social need, it’s a foundational part of community health infrastructure,” said Karla Austen, Chief Financial Officer of MVP Health Care and President of the Board for the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. “Through our Innovation Partnership with Albany County and our longstanding support of the Regional Food Bank, MVP is proud to invest in solutions that strengthen local food systems and expand access to healthy foods. Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to building healthier, more equitable communities and advancing long‑term health outcomes across our region.”
Alleviating hunger requires strong, community-rooted partnerships that ensure fresh, nutritious food reaches the people who need it most. Local leaders emphasized how collaboration with the Regional Food Bank is expanding access to culturally relevant, high-quality produce while strengthening health outcomes across the region.
“Our partnership with the Regional Food Bank is essential to provide healthy and nutritious food to our neighbors in and around the Troy community,” said Rev. Jerry Ford, Founder and CEO of Team HERO. “The fresh produce that our families, children, seniors have access to is delivered right to us from the Patroon Land Farm and the team at the Regional Food Bank has worked diligently with us to identify culturally relevant produce which is vitally important to the people we serve who may not have the time or space to grow these essential fruits and vegetables which represent home and heritage to them.”
“Access to fresh produce is essential to the health and well‑being of the communities we serve,” said Laura Marx, Executive Director of Comfort Food Community. “For many of the individuals and families we support, fresh fruits and vegetables are often the hardest foods to afford and access. Integrating high‑quality, fresh produce into our food access programs allows us to support better health outcomes, dignity and choice while reinforcing the connection between food security and long‑term wellness.”
Since 1923, the Patroon Land Farm has provided nourishment for communities across New York State, originally started by the Williman Family. In 1997, Pauline Williman, who grew up on the farm, placed in a trust and focused on growing food to donate to the Regional Food Bank. Today, the farm continues to honor the Williman family’s legacy. This spring, the Patroon Land Farm team celebrated the 20th anniversary of successful harvest and operations alongside the Regional Food Bank team, state and regional representatives, partner agencies, and so many more supporters.