Corning Community Food Pantry
New location: 11715 East Corning Road
Opening: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday
Information on other area food pantries on page A2
By Jeffery Smith jsmith@the-leader.com
EAST CORNING - After spending the last 10 years at a West William Street location, Corning Community Food Pantry Board members and volunteers recently relocated its goods to a new headquarters.
The 11715 East Corning Road location will open at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Cheri Crozier, Food Pantry Board Chair.
“We were bursting at the seams at at our former location,” Crozier said. “We were growing out of space. That’s why we had to move. It’s been a long process, and it’s almost over.”
Crozier said the new location will help better serve those who live with food insecurity on a daily basis.
“This move is possible due to the kindness and generosity of our friends and neighbors,” Crozier said. “The extra space and layout of the new site will allow expansion of daily operations and special projects, including educational programs.”
Centrally located for the client base, this facility is about an eight-minute drive from downtown Corning and is a flag stop on CEATS Bus Route 2.
“For people who walked to the former location, the new location is on the bus route and we will make provision for those who need bus tickets,” Crozier said.
The food pantry provides supplemental food assistance and nutrition education to people in need: children, adults, seniors, the homeless, the unemployed and the working poor. Most clients are operating at or below poverty guideline standards that are established each year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Clients typically receive enough groceries for five to seven days, with an emphasis on nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, meats and non-meat proteins, Crozier said. Also available are personal care products, diapers, clothing and other items that help meet basic human needs.
Last year, the Corning Community Food Pantry distributed over 300,000 pounds of food to nearly 26,000 individuals.
An all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, over 90 percent of money donated to the pantry goes directly to the purchase of food. The mailing address for donations is PO Box 1255, Corning, NY.
For more information, visit corningfoodpantry.com.
