Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - We're one week away from Thanksgiving, as many families across Western New York are making their plans to host or attend Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends.
Unfortunately, for many other families across the region, they are not so lucky around the holidays, as they face the hardships of struggling to put food on the table on an every day basis.
That's why every year around the holidays, people in Buffalo and the surrounding communities are encouraged to donate to local organizations like the Buffalo City Mission and FeedMore WNY to assist families in need and help them put food on the table.
"FeedMore WNY is, of course, continuing to ask for and collect donations of non-perishable food items, frozen turkeys, and, of course, monetary donations that we can use to purchase food to help feed local families facing food insecurity," said Catherine Shick, public relations manager with FeedMore WNY. "We are very fortunate to have an amazing network of partner agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes that we work closely with, who will help us, of course, open their doors and feed community members in need. And we do need the continued support of Western New York, as we continue to meet our mission and help so many families who are facing increased needs as the cost of living continues to rise."
Although the rate of people facing food insecurities had been a long-standing issue for some time, the current state of the economy with the cost of living and inflation increasing has only played more of a factor in rising numbers.
"We know that even at the food pantries, who rely on FeedMore WNY, they've seen about an 11% increase, in terms of the individuals they serve per-month compared to what was serving in the beginning of the year," Shick explained. "So certainly the need is increasing, and we do hope that the Western New York community, if they're able to give, is able to continue to do so. Whether it is a donation of a food item, funds, or, of course, volunteerism, as well, all will go a long way in helping FeedMore WNY continue our mission of feeding our neighbors in need, and providing dignity, hope and a brighter future to our community."
As we approach the holidays this Thanksgiving and Christmas, FeedMore WNY and Buffalo City Mission are partnering with the Buffalo Sabres, Audacy and Wegmans to hold the annual "Turkeys for Tickets" drive on Thursday morning.
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Shick says frozen turkeys are always a great food item to donate to food banks and other organizations, especially during the holidays. However, there are other ways to help those in need on a regular basis in Western New York.
"FeedMore WNY is always accepting donations at our warehouse on 91 Holt Street in Buffalo, as well as online - FeedMoreWNY.org. Those frozen turkeys are a really great option to help distribute to families in need. It's a wonderful way to donate and help support our community members struggling with hunger," Shick said. "As well as donations of non-perishable food items, stuff that you would need for holiday sites for your holiday meal, as well as any of the staples that you might find in your pantry, whether that's whole wheat pasta, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, canned tuna fish, canned fruit, canned vegetables. Those are always in demand by our food pantries, and we are hopeful that we will get those donations this time of year to help keep our pantry stocked, and help make sure that families in need are able to get the nutritious food they need going into the holiday season and into the new year."
While the holidays are always a great time to help those facing food insecurities across the Western New York region, people rallied together to help the East Buffalo community in the days and weeks following the tragic Tops mass shooting that claimed the lives of 10 Black people on Jefferson Avenue back on May 14.
This included FeedMore WNY stepping up and doing its part by setting up pop-up food distribution centers in-and-around the area along Jefferson Avenue near the Tops. People were able to donate and drop off goods that would be distributed to those in the community who showed up needing certain essential goods.
Even six months after the events that took place in East Buffalo, Shick still notices a good amount of support to help those in that part of the Buffalo community.
"I think Western New York and the City of Buffalo continues to uphold its name of the 'City of Good Neighbors'. We definitely still see donations coming out, people wanting to help give back," she said. "Certainly, there was an incredible surge of support during May and into the summer months, but we do know that the need in that area, specifically at the pantries within about a mile radius of the Tops on Jefferson Avenue, are continuing to see an increased need, close to about 60%. So we really know that there's increased need among those pantries, specifically in the East Buffalo community, and we do encourage the community to continue to give to support their neighbors who are facing food insecurity and are still in a really critical situation as a result of that horrible racist mass shooting and horrific tragedy."
Despite the Tops Friendly Market re-opening just two months after the shooting, there have been a number of local residents who refuse to step foot back into the store. Some local activists have even pushed for the store to never re-opening, looking instead to open another Tops elsewhere or bring in other grocery stores into the region.
While a need for more shopping options in East Buffalo may certainly be a solution to the issues that were highlighted as a result of the mass shooting, Shick points out that local residents still have other options to be able to get the goods they need on a daily basis.
"FeedMore WNY has about a dozen food pantries within a mile radius of that Tops on Jefferson Avenue, and anyone who is in need of food assistance is welcome to call FeedMore WNY at (716)-822-2002, or visit our website, FeedMoreWNY.org," she said. "We have a pantry locator and you can type in your zip code and find pantries very close to where you live or work. And, of course, we also have our home delivered meals program that helps serve neighbors who are homebound, and who cannot get out of the house to shop or prepare for food. So anyone who is in need of assistance, whether they live in the East Buffalo community or within the four counties served by Western New York, we do encourage FeedMore WNY to be your first call. We can connect you with the resources that you need for yourself and your family."
While the folks at FeedMore WNY are not supplying local pop-up distribution centers, at this time, they continue to direct folks to the pantries who have been in the community for many and have deep established roots that can best serve the community. And not only can they provide emergency food items, but other household items such as toilet paper or other hygiene products.
"We do make sure that we are working closely with these pantries, but we do have additional support throughout the community," Shick said. "Whether it's a potential mobile food pantry distribution, or our farm market truck goes to various spots throughout our community, but by and large, we do direct people to our food pantries to make sure that they can establish a relationship and can get the continued sustained support that they need."
In the meantime, FeedMore WNY and other organizations continue to ask the community for their help with donations and assisting those in need in the most desperate of times. They know that even the smallest of donations and contributions can go a long way for many residents in Buffalo and throughout Western New York.
"Unfortunately, we know about one-in-eight people in Western New York are facing food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food. And in terms of children, we know that's about one-in-five children" Shick said. "There's a tremendous need right now, and by supporting our families in need, helping get those food donations in to support and nourish our local families, you can make a tremendous difference in fighting hunger in Western New York."