We’ve entered the Season of Giving. But for too many families, it’s the Season of Struggle. Each holiday season, the more fortunate among us find ourselves caught up in the festive buzz — decorating homes, preparing feasts and selecting thoughtful gifts for loved ones. But for thousands of families across Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties, […]

All of us here at Olean Food Pantry couldn’t be more thrilled. Our Cattaraugus Gives Day campaign on Dec. 3 raised $35,450 toward the local war on hunger! The extraordinary generosity of our community, donors and other supporters demonstrates the spirit of our region and its commitment to fighting the battles that matter. Cattaraugus Gives […]

(Editor’s note: The following is the last in a four-part series of op-eds by Olean Food Pantry board members in preparation for the Season of Giving. It appeared first in the Olean Times Herald and was featured in several other prominent local/regional news outlets.) By David PotterOlean Food Pantry Board President We have work to […]

(Editor’s note: The following is the third in a four-part series of op-eds by Olean Food Pantry board members in preparation for the Season of Giving. It first appeared in the Olean Times Herald and was featured in several other prominent local/regional news outlets.) By Jamie KohnOlean Food Pantry board member I’ve seen a lot […]

(Editor’s note: The following is the second in a four-part series of op-eds by Olean Food Pantry board members in preparation for the Season of Giving. This article first appeared in the Olean Times Herald and was featured in numerous other local and regional news outlets.) By Nick HamedOlean Food Pantry board member Charity isn’t […]

(Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series of op-eds by Olean Food Pantry board members in preparation for the Season of Giving. It first appeared in the Olean Times Herald and was featured in several other prominent local news outlets.) By Ashley GreeleyOlean Food Pantry board member As we approach the holiday […]

At the Olean Food Pantry our goal has always been clear: to provide free food and other household necessities to our communities with compassion, efficiency and respect. In order to continue meeting the needs of all our clients effectively – while ALSO supporting the hard work of our dedicated volunteers – we’re making a small […]

OLEAN, NY (Oct. 9, 2024) – A $25,000 grant to the Olean Food Pantry from an anonymous local family foundation is a challenge for more community donations.  Olean Food Pantry received the grant Friday toward its $1 Million Fundraising Campaign announced earlier this year. The grant urges additional funding from the community entering the holiday […]

(Editor’s note: The following is an op-ed that appeared in the Olean Times Herald and The Buffalo News.) Of all local problems, hunger stands at the center as both a cause and symptom of poverty. Yet hunger isn’t treated like a central issue worth solving to improve the socioeconomic fabric of our communities. (Yes, this […]

September is Hunger Action Month, celebrated by local food pantries and food banks around the world. While the focus is on a global scale, ours is a grassroots mission that begins by tackling food insecurity in our rural communities. We rely on community members just like you to provide support and spread awareness about a […]

Turn on the news. When they’re discussing poverty and food insecurity in New York state, who do they talk about? That’s right, the impoverished people of New York City and other urban areas. But what of food insecurity in rural Western New York? When will WE be a priority? It’s not just the news. Government […]

Did you know that grants play a key role in local food pantries in the battle against food insecurity in our communities? Grassroots organizations like ours always appreciate food donations from the community, but financial contributions go so much further – 66% further, to be exact. So we’re always on the hunt for grant opportunities. […]

You’re reading this on some type of digital device. That in itself is proof of the power of digital technology for food pantry community outreach. We developed a message here and promoted it. You clicked it, you’re reading it, and now you’re engaged with our mission to end hunger.  Now, multiply that impact an exponential […]

One might think our jobs here at the Olean Food Pantry are pretty straightforward. Clients line up, they receive free food, they go home. But that barely scratches the surface. From inventory management to data analytics, there are many ways digital technology today helps local food pantries in the War on Hunger. Essentially, there’s SO […]

Many in our communities remember the Flood of 1972. The remnants of Hurricane Agnes turned Olean, NY, and surrounding communities in New York and Pennsylvania into a massive disaster zone. In addition to emergency response and other community agencies, the crucial role of local food pantries in disaster response was never more apparent than during […]

In our communities, food insecurity is an issue that affects more than just physical health. Hunger also has a dramatic impact on mental health. Once again, it’s a vicious cycle of hardship that can be difficult to escape – for so many reasons. To address this widespread issue of food insecurity and mental health, we […]

There’s an often overlooked factor in the fight against hunger: food waste. Quite frankly, there’s a lot of it – and Americans seem to be the greatest culprit. So here’s Olean Food Pantry’s obligatory call for ending food waste as a critical component to seeing that food gets to the people who need it most. […]

The philosophy behind Olean Food Pantry’s mission is easy enough to understand. For over 70 years now, it’s been about neighbors helping neighbors. What better way to accomplish this than with community gardens? We know a little something about building community gardens and their amazing benefits to communities who share a common goal of sustainable […]

There’s nothing quite like biting into a fresh apple or chopping up your favorite produce into a refreshing summer salad. It’s not only delicious, but also very nutritious and key to a healthy lifestyle. Among our numerous community partnerships, we hold a special place in our hearts for local farms and nonprofit farming organizations that […]

A few months back, we explored the hidden consequences of food insecurity for children in a previous blog post. Today, we delve deeper into one of the most critical aspects: how hunger directly impacts the learning capacities of young children. Simply put: hunger makes it harder for children to learn. As the demonstrated community need […]