NYS Commissioner of Ag & Markets, Richard Ball, at a Pantry Restock event in Albany County (Albany)
After the holidays, many of our agency partners experience a surge in demand while donations and resources begin to slow. January and February are traditionally some of the most challenging months for food banks and pantries alike. To help meet this seasonal need, the Regional Food Bank launched a Pantry Restock Program, a new initiative designed to quickly and efficiently replenish shelves across our 23-county service area—from the lower Hudson Valley to the Canadian border.
Through this program, we hosted a series of targeted agency distributions where partner agencies had access to large quantities of food to bring directly back to their communities. Since January, we’ve delivered pallets of nutritious food to centralized locations and invited nearby agencies to make a short trip to restock. Each distribution includes 12 pallets—approximately 18,000 pounds of food—helping ensure our partners have the essential items they need to serve their neighbors.
In total, more than 25 Pantry Restock distributions occurred from January through March.
Pantry Restock event in Ulster County (Woodstock)
Unlike our traditional community food distributions, which require volunteers to sort and package food directly for individuals and families, these events were specifically designed for our agency partners. Pantries selected the items that best meet their clients’ needs, making the process both flexible and efficient, even during several sub-freezing mornings and winter snowstorms.
Regional Food Bank CEO, Tom Nardacci speaks with Rosalyn Wallace from Metropolitan Church Food Pantry
Beginning April 1, more than 700 participating food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens within the Regional Food Bank’s network will be able to access $1 million of state funding through the Food Bank, helping ensure families, children, seniors, and veterans don’t go without. This funding was made available by Governor Hochul to address food insecurity in New York communities and in response to recent federal actions.
“On behalf of our agency partners, we thank Governor Hochul for her leadership and steadfast commitment to supporting New Yorkers in need,” said Tom Nardacci, CEO. “Last year brought significant challenges, as the loss of critical USDA food supplies and ongoing threats to SNAP in the federal budget left food banks scrambling to keep up – at a time when food insecurity is not only at an all-time high, but still rising.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald joining the Regional Food Bank and pantry leaders at Sycamore Collaborative in Schenectady County
So far, we’ve already delivered nearly 2 million pounds of food, and we’re not stopping there. The Regional Food Bank and our powerful network of partners continues to expand access and meet rising need across our communities.