Nearly 90 food pantries can benefit from $500,000 in grant money that Onondaga County is making available as thousands of refugee families face the loss of SNAP benefits. The funding will help the pantries expand refrigeration and improve capacity.
SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon on Sept. 10 announced the funding during an event at the Northeast Community Center at 716 Hawley Ave. in Syracuse.
"Our team has been meeting with food pantries and the Food Bank and the message we've heard is that by strengthening the food pantry infrastructure, is the best way for resources to go so that food can work through the food pantries and at that time, they can help distribute that food," McMahon said.
In his remarks, McMahon noted that about 9,000 refugees in the county have already lost - or will lose - SNAP benefits by the middle part of 2027, contributing to the increased demand for emergency food support. The pantry at the Northeast Community Center serves a predominantly refugee population.
"This year, the need is increasing. We're seeing approximately 60 new families every month reporting to [the] pantry, a 33 percent increase year-to-year, and we're expecting an even larger increase as conditions change on the ground," Brian Fay, executive director of the Northeast Community Center, said in his remarks. "I know we're not the only ones in Syracuse facing this, and I will say that facing it alone would be incredibly daunting, if not impossible."
The Food Bank of Central New York has reported increased availability of perishable foods for distribution, but many pantries lack the refrigeration needed to accept them. To address this, the county is partnering with the Food Bank to administer the grant program.
In her remarks at the Sept. 10 event, Karen Belcher, president & CEO of the Food Bank, said the investment will help food pantries throughout Onondaga County replace refrigeration equipment with newer, more efficient, and where possible, larger units to expand their storage capacity.
"With additional refrigeration space, our programs are going to be able to receive more fresh and nutritious food from the Food Bank and then ensure that that reaches the tables of our local families, children, and older adults," Belcher said.
Interested pantries will complete a brief survey outlining their infrastructure needs. The Food Bank will review each submission, and award grants up to $10,000, with most expected in the range of $2,500 to $3,500. Pantries that don't require refrigeration can still pursue funding support for shelving, carts, and other equipment, Onondaga County said.
"While the county cannot fully offset the loss of SNAP benefits, this investment will significantly expand the availability of fresh food at local pantries and strengthen the emergency food network. Refrigeration was overwhelmingly identified as the greatest need across pantries. By working closely with the Food Bank, the county expects cost-effective purchasing and swift installation of new equipment," per the county's statement.
The Community Foundation of Central New York has been a key partner in assessing community needs. Melanie Littlejohn, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, attended the Sept. 10 announcement on behalf of the Foundation.
“Food insecurity affects every corner of our community, and addressing it requires strong partnerships,” Littlejohn said in the Onondaga County press release about the grant money. “We’re proud to work with organizations that are committed to ensuring families have consistent access to nutritious food.”
At the same time, another organization on Syracuse's North side is also trying to help the cause. InterFaith Works of Central New York started the "SNAP into Action" initiative on Sept. 8.
Chris Foley, president and CEO of InterFaith Works of Central New York, says the organization is asking anyone interested to fast for a day (or longer) and then donate any money they would've spent on food to InterFaith Works to help support its food-justice initiatives.
"Any funding we receive through this initiative would go directly to our programs, either in the form of food cards or direct food benefits for the clients we work with, or support to some of the pantries with which we work," says Foley, who also spoke with WRVO Public Media later in the day on Sept. 10.
The organization's Round Table of Faith Leaders came up with the idea to acknowledge the changes to the SNAP program that will reduce access to food benefits for many households.
The program is scheduled to run through Tuesday, Sept. 15, but Foley says anyone interested can fast for a day and donate funding beyond that date.
