With the government shutdown and SNAP benefits possibly running out on November 1st, our team decided to scour the county for every resource possible to support food security.
We began this series with the northernmost part of the county, going as far south as Amboy. For this installment, we will focus on the southeastern part of the county, known as the North Shore: the City of Central Square, Brewerton, Hastings, West Monroe, Constantia, and Cleveland.
We encourage all readers who can afford it to make a donation to their local food pantry or offer a meal to a neighbor in need. Another low-effort way to support the community is to add a few kid-friendly shelf-stable goods to give out on top of Halloween candy, such as cans of soup or protein bars. Our community is going to need all of the support it can get.
Food Pantries and Distribution Sites
The North Shore Food Pantry in Cleveland’s operating hours are as follows: 2nd Saturday of the month, 8:30am-11am; 4th Thursday of the month, 5pm-7pm. For more details, call 315-247-1822.
Divine Mercy Parish of Central Square operates a food pantry. For more details about participating or donating, contact the office at 315-676-2898.
The Brewerton Community Food Pantry provides food, household items, and personal care items. It is located inside of the Brewerton United Methodist Church. The pantry’s current hours of operation, according to the Brewerton UMC’s website, are Tuesdays 10am-Noon and Thursdays: 4:30-6:30pm. You can contact them by leaving a voicemail at 315-676-5528 or emailing Brewertonfoodpantry@aol.com.
To combat food insecurity in rural areas not well-supported by food pantries, the Food Bank of CNY has recently begun trialing refrigerated food lockers that can be accessed at non-traditional hours. There is a set of these lockers in the parking lot of the Hastings Town Park. To determine if you are eligible to participate in the Pantry Pals program, reach out to the Food Bank directly by calling 315-437-1899, option 2 or emailing pantrypal@foodbankcny.org.
The Central Square Middle School is hosting a mobile (drive-through) food distribution through the Food Bank of CNY on Election Day (Tuesday, November 4) at 4pm. Cars can begin lining up at 3:30pm; please do not arrive beforehand as the parking lot and street parking are not available until 3:30. There are no income requirements; all residents of Oswego County in need are welcomed.
The Life Church, which has locations in West Monroe and Central Square, has a dedicated Community Care fund that helps with immediate needs like food and clothing. To request support from this fund, call 315-254-7147 or email communitycare@lifecny.com.
Catholic Charities of Oswego County is open to all county residents. While it is located in Fulton, they will provide emergency food for 5 days for every person in the household, as well as offering a free bag of food at Christmas. For Thanksgiving, the non-profit is planning to provide free additional items for food pantry participants in lieu of a holiday basket. More details are available on the CCOC website.
Discount Grocery Programs
The Food $en$e program operated by the Food Bank of CNY provides heavily discounted meat, produce, and pantry staples monthly at locations throughout the county. You can browse the current offerings on the Food Bank of CNY’s website. There are seven pick-up locations in Oswego County, including at the Central Square American Legion.
Hot Meals
Lasagna Love is entirely volunteer-funded and operated. Note that this program may not be suitable for folks with serious allergies or food sensitivities, and the wait times for meal deliveries vary based on how many requests have been received. The average wait time is approximately four weeks. If you would like to learn more about this organization and how to get involved, iHeart Oswego recently profiled this incredible organization.
Meals on Wheels is operated by Oswego County Opportunities throughout the county. People under the age of 60 who would like to receive Meals on Wheels should contact OCO’s Nutrition Services at 315-598-4712. More information is available at oco.org.
Resources for Seniors
Meals on Wheels is operated by Oswego County Opportunities throughout the county. For adults 60 and over interested in participating, contact the county’s Office for the Aging at 315-349-3484.
OCO also operates dining and activity centers with hot lunches and activities for seniors. The Central Square “Bistro” operates on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, with bussing available on Tuesday and Thursday. You can contact the center directly by calling 315-720-9732. The full list of locations is available at oco.org.
Resources for Children
While we would normally recommend families with young children look into WIC (315-343-1311), the program is expected to experience interruptions similar to SNAP if the government shutdown continues.
For school-aged children, there are backpack programs in every school district in the county. Each of these were recently awarded funding from Erin’s Angels of CNY. In Central Square, this is known as Central Square Essentials for Success. These programs aim to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children. Reach out to your child’s school for more information.
OCO operates after-school and summer meals programs with locations throughout the county to feed children aged 18 and under. For the most up-to-date list of locations, contact OCO at 315-598-4712.
Miscellaneous Resources
The Oswego County Humane Society operates a small food pantry for pets. Oswego County residents who have proof of low-income status and spay/neuter records for each pet are eligible for support. For more details, visit the Humane Society’s website or call their office at 315-207-1070.
Although not food, diapers add significant financial stress to families at the grocery store. The Oswego County Diaper Bank offers up to 50 diapers per month, per child to Oswego County families in need with children 5 and under. The diaper bank is coordinated by Integrated Community Planning of Oswego County. Families can request diapers by calling 315-343-2344. That number goes to a switchboard: dial #6 for the Early Childhood Alliance and then press #1 to speak with a person about your family’s diaper needs.
A final reminder
Food insecurity is a major problem in our county, even when SNAP is running at full capacity. An estimated 1 in 4 Oswego County adults struggle with food insecurity. This problem does not have to be insurmountable; we can tackle it together if we unite as a community, leaving judgement and fear behind. If we have missed any resources in or around the North Shore or that are located just over the county line, feel free to add them in the comments. And if you see someone struggling, don’t be afraid to break the silence and offer them a helping hand.
