The Northern New York Community Foundation has awarded $152,175 in grant support during 2025 to 67 food pantries, soup kitchens, and school-based backpack programs across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. This funding includes $55,000 approved as year-end aid by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, aimed at strengthening local programs and stocking shelves with essential food and hygiene supplies.
Since January 2025, the Foundation has distributed an additional $97,175 in grants to assist organizations addressing food insecurity across the region. The support underscores the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to alleviating hunger and providing vital resources to those in need. Executive Director Rande S. Richardson highlighted the ongoing need for food assistance and credited donors, past and present, for making such support possible throughout the year.
Recipients of the grants may use the funding to purchase essential supplies not available through the Food Bank of Central New York. The year-end grants are distributed widely across the three counties, supporting both emergency food programs and school-based initiatives that ensure children receive meals outside of school hours.
The Foundation encourages contributions to its Community Support Fund, which provides ongoing resources for programs combating food insecurity throughout Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Donations can be made online or mailed directly to the Northern New York Community Foundation. The support provided by the Foundation, along with the involvement of local volunteers, ensures that food assistance programs can continue meeting the needs of the community.
Since its establishment in 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has worked to improve quality of life across the three counties through grants, scholarships, and charitable initiatives. By partnering with local businesses, organizations, foundations, and individual donors, the Foundation preserves legacies of philanthropy while fostering creative solutions to community challenges. Its Philanthropy Center serves as a hub for collaboration, discussion, and support for nonprofits, donors, and local leaders dedicated to strengthening the region.
