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CNY Food Pantries See a Decline in Numbers CNY Food Pantries See a Decline in Numbers

Numbers are declining at Central New York food pantries.

By Calvin Christoforo

Food stack on shelves at Assumption Church Food Pantry
© 2021 Calvin Christoforo

Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – The holiday season is usually a time where food pantries around the nation are at their busiest. But this year in Central New York, food pantries don’t have quite the foot traffic they have had in years past.

Assumption Church Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen saw a major drop in patrons when the Covid-19 pandemic began. And ever since they have yet to see those people return.

Debbie Thomas, an Assumption Church parishioner who became a food pantry volunteer once many other pantry volunteers left due to fears of the pandemic, says the decrease in attendance has been staggering.

“Pre-COVID, in looking at the records, pre-COVID they were doing anywhere right around two hundred to three hundred families a month, now we are not even hitting a hundred,” Thomas said.

But, why is this the case? Well, Assumption Church Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen director Friar Greg Spuhler say not as many people are around in the downtown Syracuse area.

“In fact, they are probably worse. A lot of the people used to come for lunch, used to be working in the area, or even driving by, and they are not coming by. So, our numbers for the soup kitchen window are quite low, and even the numbers for the food pantry.” Spuhler said

But this is against the trend that is being seen around the nation. many food pantries around the county are failing to keep up with the high demand.

That however is not the case in CNY. The number of people coming to the doors of the Assumption Church food pantry is staying at a low rate while the organization is getting an increase in donations.

This means, according to Spuhler, people that are coming down are getting more food than ever before.

“We have the luxury of having a soup kitchen window, and when something starts to build up in one area, we just ask people at the window if they would take it. So, we have been giving butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, potatoes, salt potatoes.” Spuhler Said. 

The doors will remain open and the large portions of food will continue throughout the winter months at the Assumption Church food party. The pantry is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 8:45 am-11:00am and Tuesday: 8:45 am-10:00 am. While the soup kitchen is open for hot meals Monday-Friday: 11:30 am -1 pm and 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm and Sunday: 11:30 am -12:30 pm.

TRACK 1: Assumption Church food pantry and soup kitchen has been serving the downtown Syracuse community for decades. But just like many other organizations, they saw a decrease in numbers when the COVID 19 pandemic hit.

Thomas: “Pre-COVID, in looking a t the records, pre-COVID they were doing anywhere right around two hundred to three hundred families a month, now we are not even hitting a hundred.”

TRACK 2:That’s Debbie Thomas an Assumption church partitioner and a food pantry volunteer. The pantry expected the numbers to take a quick hit right at the start of the pandemic. But as according to Food pantry director Friar Greg Spuhler the people just haven’t come back

Spuhler: “In fact, they are probably worse. A lot of the people used to come for lunch, used to be working in the area, or even driving by, and they are not coming by. So, our numbers for the soup kitchen window are quite low, and even the numbers for the food pantry.”

STANDUP: Now attendance at food pantries around CNY has decreased due to the pandemic, but the people that are showing up are benefiting a little extra.

Spuhler: “We have the luxury of having a soup kitchen window, and when something starts to build up in one area, we just ask people at the window if they would take it. So, we have been giving butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, potatoes, salt potatoes.

TRACK 3: So, the same amount of food is going out the door, just for less people. If you are hungry and looking for a place to pick up a meal or groceries visit your local food pantry or soup kitchen. Assumption church’s is open Monday through Friday mornings, and lunch and dinner is severed no questions asked every weekday and just lunch on Saturday, reporting in Syracuse Calvin Christoforo NCC news.

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