As families struggle to access food, these organizations must find a way around the difficulties of limited resources while trying to support their communities. Food pantries have a key role in providing essential support during times of crisis. Food banks across the country are reporting significant numbers of increase when it comes to food needs.

The rush for finding food in the local pantries has been met with an outpouring of the community collections at food drives all across Warren County, especially with the holiday season fast approaching. From churches stocking up their pantries to food drives being held by all sorts of organizations, once again Warren County proves to be a community that cares for its own.

Donors for the Northwest Food Drive last week saw the need for providing funding to Food Banks. It is their hope that the donation of $80,000 will provide, as well as encourage others to support local food pantries. Warren County residents should be proud of the generosity given to those in need. The Second Harvest of Northwest PA serves 36 food pantries, mobile units, veteran and senior programs, and soup kitchens across Warren County. Their funding took a 25% cut and with the delay in SNAP benefits, presented a challenge for the demands to keep pantries stocked and also having enough volunteers to help out.

According to feedingamerica.org, 86% of counties with the highest food insecurity are rural ones. Food insecurity occurs when a household cannot access enough food due to a lack of money and other essential resources. It is often linked to one or multiple factors that lead to food insecurity, creating a cycle that can be hard to break. These factors can be related to household income, expenses, access to affordable health care, the surrounding social and physical environment, and barriers to opportunity which play a role in preventing some households and communities from being food secure. The national average cost per meal is $3.58 and a donation of $25 could provide up to 66 meals.

Front Porch Food Pantry at the Russell United Methodist Church

A food bank is an organization that solicits, collects, stores and distributes food to other agencies in an effort to alleviate hunger. As the only food bank in the northwestern part of the state, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania collects and distributes millions of meals each year through partner organizations. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania provides food for 11 counties and recently had their twenty-fifth annual food drive. Representatives from four major local organizations in Warren came together to supply over $80,000. The groups include the Community Foundation of Warren County, the Richard T. Betts Foundation, the DeFrees Family Memorial Fund and the Sokolski Family Fund.

Captain Angelica Spence has reported that Warren Salvation Army is a lead agency working within Warren as well as surrounding communities, taking food to places like Spring Creek, Sheffield and Sugar Grove about once per month. Spence said that they definitely saw a huge demand when the government shut down. The impact on state food programs when the budget wasn’t passed meant that the 1st quarter payment was not received. There are 2 different ways to get food: Emergency food is available as well as a monthly food program. The Salvation Army partners with Second Harvest for fresh produce and milk.

“One of the biggest things is that food needs are consistent monthly. Even though the shutdown was short, it still impacted pantries significantly and agencies are always in need of basic food to be able to fulfill the needs of the county. Foods such as those with pop-top lids, crackers, canned meats, kid-friendly foods, and juice. Beyond the big food drives that you see, where food is given out, those agencies still need food even if we’re not necessarily pleading that. It’s consistent and we can always utilize basic food that anyone can cook at any age because we don’t necessarily know who is going to be the one cooking it at home. If you think it’s something easy and simple to make, it’s something you would find on the shelving of pantries.”

Here’s just a few updates from more of the area’s pantries around the county:

– New Life Church in Youngsville, PA shared that they have received a significant increase in the number of neighbors coming to their pantry. Extra donations from concerned people in the community have been given. The church was able to provide turkeys and groceries to allow for a Thanksgiving Dinner for those who came to the church’s door. With Christmas right around the corner, the New Life Church hopes that the generosity of others in the community will be just as gracious to the needs of the church. Extra shopping trips are being made to supply the pantry with additional groceries people need. Financial help to make those trips is welcomed and appreciated in order to accommodate the additional needs.

Local pantries filling the needs of the community

– Grace United Methodist Church in Warren, has gone so far as to provide an online way for people to contribute to their food pantry. An Amazon wish list can be accessed at www.graceumcwarrenpa.com with items to be delivered directly to the church. Meanwhile, the Russell United Methodist Church has a front porch food pantry open 24/7 all by community supported donations.

– Sugar Grove food pantry, located in their gym building, serves the Eisenhower and Youngsville School District areas is open with volunteers on site to assist you every Tuesday evening from 6:00-8:00pm. A bi-monthly Saturday food distribution program (Second Harvest Food Pantry) serving all of Warren County, PA, has their next date set for December 20th, 2025.

– Treasurer Jack Cashmere of the Sheffield Ecumenical Food Pantry, 18 Leather Street, Sheffield would like to express his appreciation for the donations given by local churches in Warren and Sheffield, along with individuals and of course the big food drive by Northwest Bank that took place last week. They were able to feed over 90 families in Sheffield recently. The supply chain is limited for many, but Cashmere is glad to report that they are in good shape.