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Food Sense Program Cuts Grocery Costs Food Sense Program Saves You Money On Groceries

By Marsha Augustin

(Marsha Augustin)
Remember how you felt when you found out your mom was cooking your favorite meal for dinner, well that’s Alexus’ mood.

(Alexus Hall-Bellamy)
“I love spaghetti.”

(Marsha Augustin)
Alexus’ mom is Briana Hall-Bellamy. Briana is a single mom with four kids. She was looking for a way to cut back on her thousand-dollar grocery bill and still make meals that her children like.

(Briana Hall-Bellamy)
“My kids like seafood I do not, I don’t find it okay to go to the store and spend $12 on a little package of something, where as with food sense, I can spend $20.50 on multiple items and that $12 thing of fish or shrimp or whatever my kids like will be in the case.”

(Marsha Augustin)
The Bellamy family is one of the millions of homes the USDA recently reported on that spends over a thousand dollars on groceries alone. That’s where Food $en$e comes in. It’s a program that gives you more bang for your buck.

(Marsha Augustin)
Brianna agrees and says, this program makes perfect sense for her pocket.

(Bellamy)
“Anywhere from $200-$300 I would say, like every two weeks because my kids are big and like to eat and between having the snacks for school and dinner at home and weekends and school breaks, it was just constant we are out of milk, we are out of this or we are out of…and I was constantly having to go to the store and buy stuff.”

STAND UP
(Marsha Augustin)
“With the food sense program you can get a box of groceries that comes with items like chicken nuggets, strawberries and marinara sauce for $20.50 and there are no requirements.”

(Marsha Augustin)
Meghan Ball is the Recreational Supervisor for the town of Dewitt. She says, it’s not just for families, if you eat you qualify.

(Meghan Ball)
“Anybody can use it. Anyone who wants to stretch their food budget a little more, whether it’s a college student or a family or a senior.”

(Marsha Augustin)
Justin Dowsland has been purchasing groceries from the program for a year and a half and says its cheap and easy.

(Justin Dowsland)
“Food for one person last a long time, so I can spend the $20.50 and if I plan it out right that’s a couple of weeks worth of meals right there that I can bring to work with me.”

Marsha Augustin, NCC News

DEWITT N.Y. (NCC NEWS) –  The Food Bank of CNY offers an alternative to saving on the cost of groceries with their Food Sense Program.

It’s a monthly program  that offers a box of groceries at a discounted price.  There are 12-15 grocery items in the box for $20.50 and there are no requirements.

“My kids like seafood I do not, I don’t find it okay to go to the store and spend $12 on a little package of something, where as with food sense, I can spend $20.50 on multiple items and that $12 thing of fish or shrimp or whatever my kids like will be in the case,”  Briana Hall-Bellamy said.  She is a ingle mom of four kids who purchases a box of groceries  from the program every month.

According to a recent study by the USDA a family of four can spend $1300 a month on groceries alone. Bellamy was spending over a thousand dollars a month on groceries to feed her family and when she found this program it was a lifesaver.  “I was spending any where from $200-$300 I would say, like every two weeks because my kids are big and like to eat and between having the snacks for school and dinner at home and weekends and school breaks, it was just constant we are out of milk, we are out of this or we are out of…and I was constantly having to go to the store and buy stuff, ” Bellamy said.

In a box you get “4-5 meats or fish, 4-5 pantry items like rice and pasta as well as 2 fresh produce items like fruit and salad,” Megan Ball said. Ball is the  Recreational Supervisor for the Town of Dewitt and coordinates the Food Sense Program there.

The program is not just for families. Justin Dowsland has been taking advantage of this program for a year and a half. It has allowed him to save money and cut down on ordering out for lunch and dinner. “I use to spend $100 a week on groceries, but  now I save  about $380 a month on food which is  lot cheaper and my groceries last longer,” Dowsland said.

Food Bank of CNY says it’s a 40% savings from purchasing groceries at the supermarket, and there are 39 sites across Central New York you can order from.

 

 

 

 

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