Funding for 67 Tri-County Food Pantries Includes Grants to School-Based Pantries
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation has provided $152,175 in support through 2025 to 67 local food pantries, soup kitchens, and school-based backpack programs across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
The total support includes $55,000 to 55 organizations across the region that the Foundation’s Board of Directors approved as year-end aid during its December meeting. The grants will help strengthen programs and stock shelves at community food pantries and soup kitchens in the three counties the Community Foundation serves.
A deep part of the Community Foundation’s history is rooted in its support of community food pantries and soup kitchens. The organization has been a strong believer in helping to alleviate the ongoing pressures of food insecurity across the region for many years.
Thanks to the generosity of many Foundation donors and fundholders, $97,175 in grant support has been awarded since January 2025 to assist food pantries, soup kitchens, and school-based backpack programs across the region.
“We know the need continues to be great and is likely to continue. This is a way to reach all across our region to help,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We have a long tradition of supporting local food pantries. Our donors, past and present, had the vision for a better community for all and because of them, things like this are possible now and throughout the year.”
Pantries and soup kitchens receiving year-end support may utilize it to secure the most important supplies for their clients, including food, hygiene products, and other grocery items not available through the Food Bank of Central New York.
Those wishing to contribute to the Community Foundation’s Community Support Fund, which makes resources available throughout the year to help alleviate food insecurity throughout Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, can make a gift online at nnycf.org, or to the Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13601.
Organizations receiving year-end grant support of $1,000 each include:
Jefferson County
- Alexandria Bay Food Pantry
- Antwerp Food Pantry
- Cape Vincent Community Food Pantry
- Carthage Central School Comet Cares Backpack Program
- Clayton Council of Churches Food Pantry
- Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County, Watertown
- Emmanuel Congregational Church, Watertown
- Feed Our Vets Watertown Food Pantry
- Gwen’s Food Pantry, LaFargeville
- Indian River Baptist Church Food Pantry
- Indian River Central School Backpack Program
- Jefferson Community College Foundation, Watertown
- Sackets Harbor Central School Backpack Program
- St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Evans Mills
- St. Paul’s of Redwood Food Pantry
- South Jefferson Central School Backpack Program
- The Rohde Center, Adams
- The Salvation Army Watertown Corps
- Theresa Food Pantry
- Thousand Islands Central School Backpack Program
- Village Ecumenical Ministries (VEM) Food Pantry, Carthage
- Watertown Urban Mission
Lewis County
- Croghan Food Pantry
- Lewis County Opportunities Copenhagen Food Pantry
- Lewis County Opportunities Harrisville Food Pantry
- Lewis County Opportunities New Bremen Food Pantry
- Lewis County Opportunities Port Leyden Food Pantry
- Lowville Food Pantry
St. Lawrence County
- Christian Fellowship Center Food Pantry, Madrid
- Church and Community Program, Canton
- Clifton-Fine Central School Food Pantry
- Edwards-Knox Central School Backpack Program
- Free Community Meal Soup Kitchen, Star Lake
- Free Will Meal Program Soup Kitchen, Canton
- Gouverneur-Richville Christian Fellowship Food Pantry
- Grasse River Food Pantry
- Hammond Food Pantry
- Helping Hands of Potsdam
- Heuvelton Central School Food Pantry
- Hopkinton Food Pantry
- Norfolk-Raymondville Food Pantry
- Ogdensburg Snackpack Program
- Potsdam Snack Pack Program
- Richville Baptist Chapel Food Pantry
- Salvation Army of Massena
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Canton Neighborhood Center
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Colton/Pierrepont/Parishville Neighborhood Center
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Gouverneur Neighborhood Center
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Massena Neighborhood Center
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Ogdensburg Neighborhood Center
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program — Potsdam Neighborhood Center
- St. Peter’s Outreach Ministry, Massena
- Star Lake Food Pantry
- Tri-Town Community Services Food Pantry
- Waddington Family Resource Center Pantry
Organizations that previously received a share of $97,175 in grant support this year include:
Jefferson County
- Antwerp Food Pantry
- Cape Vincent Community Food Pantry
- Chaumont Food Pantry
- Clayton Council of Churches Food Pantry
- Clayton Food Pantry
- Dexter Methodist Church
- Feed Our Vets Watertown Food Pantry
- Food Bank of Central New York
- Gwen’s Food Pantry, LaFargeville
- Indian River Baptist Church Food Pantry
- South Jeff Backpack Program
- St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Evans Mills
- St. Paul’s of Redwood Food Pantry
- The Rohde Center, Adams
- The Salvation Army Watertown Corps
- Theresa Food Pantry
- Town of Lyme Food Pantry
- Village Ecumenical Ministries (VEM) Food Pantry, Carthage
- Watertown Urban Mission
Lewis County
- Croghan Food Pantry
- Lewis County Opportunities, Lowville
- Lowville Food Pantry
St. Lawrence County
- Canton Neighborhood Center Pantry
- Church and Community Program Churches of Canton
- Clifton-Fine Central School Food Pantry, Star Lake
- Grasse River Food Pantry, Russell
- Helping Hands of Potsdam
- Massena First United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen
- Massena Meals On Wheels
- Massena Neighborhood Center Food Pantry
- New Beginnings Clothing and Food Outreach, Madrid
- Norfolk-Raymondville Food Pantry
- Potsdam Neighborhood Center Food Pantry
- Potsdam Snack Pack Program
- St. Lawrence County Community Development Program, Canton
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional
advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative
solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.