Interfaith Food Shelf saw 11% growing community need last year

PLATTSBURGH | The Plattsburgh Interfaith Food Shelf provided emergency food services to 14,849 individuals last year, a number almost 11 percent greater than the 12,775 people they supported in 2022. The Food Shelf is run by volunteers working with the Interfaith Council of Plattsburgh & Clinton County. The pantry uses a section of the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church community hall on Beekman Street. They celebrated their 60th year of food supply service in 2024. "Approximately 22,000-24,000 (11 to 12 tons) of food were distributed every month," Interfaith said in the Food Shelf Annual Report. "Over 63 percent of clients requested assistance from the Food Shelf only one or two times per year, indicating that clients visit the Food Shelf for emergency food and not as a continuous source of assistance." The Interfaith Food Shelf serves all areas of Clinton County. "Age demographics were similar in 2022, 2023 and 2024 with approximately 17 percent (of clients) classified as seniors, 25 percent as children and over 56 percent as adults," the data show. "Based on current usage, we do not foresee that the need for emergency food in our community will lessen; very possibly the need will increase," Food Shelf Coordinator Dorothy Latta said in the report and in an interview with The Sun last year. INFLATION PRICING Faced with a steep rise in the cost of food, the Food Shelf experienced financial deficits in 2022 and 2023. The annual report said they employed a variety of initiatives to reverse this pattern in 2024. Interfaith's emergency food supply is supported in part by grants or funding from outside agencies. But over 70 percent of funds and provisions come from the local community. The annual report lists significant financial donations from individuals, businesses and area civic organizations, including veterans' groups. It also names local food donations received from area producers and grocers. Hannaford Supermarket provided over 10,000 pounds of food each year over the past three years. Yando's Big M donated between 5,000 and 9,999 pounds each year in the three-year period, as did Market 32 and Holy Cross Parish. Major donors supporting provisions include Giroux Poultry and the U.S. Postal Service, along with the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Noon Club, the Salvation Army and Miss LeCuyer's class at Momot Elementary School. Altogether, over 200 individuals and organizations from throughout Clinton County helped provide emergency food assistance via the Interfaith food services. VOLUNTEER BASED In the report, Food Shelf coordinators emphasized the important work done by their staff of volunteers. "Without this generous support from the community, the Food Shelf would not be able to be open five days a week to provide emergency food," Latta said. Volunteers help serve clients and many other tasks that keep the organization going. They manage the budget and finances; send thank-you letters; order food; maintain computer systems; train volunteers; transport food from the off-site warehouse to the food pantry; respond to inquiries; schedule volunteers; and support community outreach with group presentations and media contacts. Other volunteers organize fundraisers, sort food donations, and monitor the Food Shelf website and e-mail correspondence. "Many people in our community support the Food Shelf through activities that are not formally recorded as volunteer time or for donation of food and money, (such as) organizing food drives, anonymous donations, and general advocacy of the mission of the Food Shelf," the report says "The people who live in our community are the most valued resource for the Food Shelf." SUPPLY AND DEMAND Unique household visits to the Food Shelf come from every town in Clinton County. Increases of more than 10 or more unique household visits last year came from the City of Plattsburgh, Cadyville, Rouses Point, Peru and West Chazy and from persons who are homeless. Increased Food Shelf visits from one-person households rose from just over 1,200 in 2022 to nearly 1,500 in 2024, according to their data. Similarly, visits from two-person households rose last year from near 1,300 to just under 1,400. These households exhibited greatest need for emergency food supplies. Support for four-person households rose from about 519 in 2023 to 600 last year. COST PER HH The report calculated the average cost of food provided per household using the number of people in each household size multiplied by the number of households in each category for a year. They found that the average cost of emergency food support per person for three days is $10.32. For a household of four people, the cost of three days worth of food is $40.65. Figures are based on bulk food pricing through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, which supplies 80 percent of Interfaith Food Shelf provisions. COST PER POUND The financial picture shifted dramatically over the last few years as food prices increased amid post-COVID inflation. "In 2020, the average cost of food from the Regional Food Bank was $0.26 cents per pound. In 2022, the average cost increased to $0.81 cents per pound. In 2023, costs jumped to $1.05 per pound," the report says. Food costs per pound dropped significantly in 2024 to $0.42. Lower inflation pricing allowed Interfaith to recover somewhat from two years of higher costs. In 2024, the Food Shelf operated with $207,523.68 in revenue resources and spent $159,749.14. "In 2022 and 2023, there were financial deficits of $170,000 and $127,000, respectively," the report says, but "cost-cutting and fundraising initiatives contributed to a turning point in 2024, when income was $47,000 higher than expenses." SUPPORT INTERFAITH "The work of our Food Shelf would not be possible without the generosity of our local community with your donations of time, food and money," Latta said, expressing gratitude for ongoing contributions. Organizations and individuals can donate food items, funds or with volunteer time to the Food Shelf, which is located at 127 Beekman St., adjacent to the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church. They are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and also from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday evenings. The mailing address is: Interfaith Food Shelf, PO Box 1317, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 To call: 518-562-3663 Learn more on the Interfaith Food Shelf website: www.plattsburghfoodshelf.org

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Interfaith Food Shelf saw 11% growing community need last year

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