The Food Bank of Central New York had its biggest year of giving in the last fiscal year, and this year, they're expecting the same. According to Food Bank of Central New York Director Karen Belcher, the food bank is seeing numbers greater than pandemic levels.
"We ended our fiscal year, June 30th, and, it was our largest year ever, even since the pandemic. Like, it was more than the pandemic," Belcher said. "It was 19% ahead of the previous year. This year, we're already 6% ahead of that. We know that 1 in 8 individuals and 1 in 6 children are food insecure out of some new data that we're receiving. So the need has increased significantly."
She said the winter months are expected to see higher numbers as heating and holiday bills come in. Belcher says the food bank's system of volunteers is what helps meet community needs.
"If they have the ability to donate to help, that's great because we can $1 equals three meals for us. When you look at the economies that we have in the different sources, from the tea fat to donated to wholesale product, but then obviously time volunteers are a big component of the food bank, and we can't do the work without a lot of those volunteers doing these boxes."
The Food Bank of Central New York had its largest distribution day this month.
