It’s Not Just a Meal: Why Rural Food Pantries Deserve Big-City Funding

Donate to Hunger Relief in Western New York

Sometimes here at Olean Food Pantry, we struggle to earn much-needed grant funding. We’re a nonprofit fighting hunger in rural New York, a mission most anyone could easily stand behind. But rural areas in general receive only about 7% of philanthropic spending.

That’s not to say we don’t ever win grants and other vital funding. We certainly do, but we must work that much harder to appeal to funders amongst hundreds – and even thousands – of other applications from big-city hunger programs. 

In the world of philanthropy, the spotlight often shines brightest on urban centers. Major donors, foundations and corporate funders tend to invest where the headlines are — cities with large populations and easily visible crises. (Think about it: what imagery tends to accompany any news story about food insecurity? That’s right. Homeless people and soup kitchens often just down the street from major metropolitan financial institutions. The stark contrast between the “haves” and “have nots” makes for a dramatic visual backdrop on TVs and smartphones. But it’s not the ultimate tale of community impact.) 

Here in rural Western New York, the hunger is just as real. And the impact of every dollar donated is often greater. It just looks different. Visitors to Olean Food Pantry look more like people lining up for church than a shock-value illustration of severe poverty.

If you’re looking for the best rural food pantries to fund in NY, here’s why Olean Food Pantry deserves your support — and why the future of hunger relief must include more intentional investment in rural communities like ours.

The Quiet, But Urgent Rural Hunger Crisis: Best Rural Food Pantries to Fund in NY

We mentioned the visible and dramatic imagery of major metropolitan hunger — lines around the block, food trucks distributing meals, school lunch programs serving thousands, etc. 

In rural communities, hunger hides in plain sight. 

It’s the working parent juggling two jobs, but still coming up short at the end of the month. It’s the elderly retiree skipping meals so they can afford medication. It’s the teenager going to bed with an empty stomach because the fridge at home is bare.

At Olean Food Pantry, we serve over 27,000 individuals and families each year across Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. That number has more than doubled since 2020 — a direct result of rising grocery prices, economic instability and uncertainty surrounding government programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

Today we’re seeing a new kind of crisis: even with a resolution to the recent federal government shutdown, proposed SNAP eligibility changes may yet cut off food assistance to more than 200,000 New Yorkers. In chronically underresourced areas like ours – with limited public transportation, sparse grocery stores and burdensome access to social services – this will hit harder than most other places.

Stretching Every Dollar Because We Have To: Nonprofit Fighting Hunger in Rural NY

Unlike larger urban nonprofits with full-time staff and complex overhead, Olean Food Pantry is 100% volunteer-run. Every item packed, every shelf stocked, every family served happens thanks to the grace of people who live here, give here and care deeply about their neighbors.

And because we purchase food at wholesale and nonprofit rates through partners like FeedMore WNY, your cash donation goes twice as far. A $50 cash gift doesn’t buy just a few items — it fills entire grocery carts.

We also embrace a Shopper’s Choice food distribution model, in which clients can select the foods they want and need, preserving dignity and supporting healthy decisions. We’ve partnered with local farmers and grocers to ensure fresh produce is always on hand. And we’re aiming to pioneer a solar energy project to reduce long-term utility costs and reinvest savings into direct food service for our communities.

This is smart, efficient, community-powered hunger relief. It deserves to be funded at the same level as our big-city counterparts.

Rural Doesn’t Mean Lesser — It Means Overlooked

Unfortunately, philanthropy has a rural blind spot. Grantmakers too often assume rural automatically means small impact. 

Philanthropic priorities change with the times. In our latest round of funder research, we discovered that most foundations and charitable trusts today are emphasizing big city nonprofits with missions almost exclusively impacting minority communities including black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+. While Olean Food Pantry does serve a significant segment of Native American communities, the reality is we are as far from “big city” as they come and our demographics are predominantly white. 

That doesn’t scream, “Not worthy of funding.” It simply indicates we don’t align with such specific funding priorities at this time.  

But if you’re looking to donate to hunger relief in Western New York, rural food pantries like ours are filling massive service gaps. In addition to providing food and other household supplies, we act as emergency food distributors, social service navigators, wellness advocates and economic first responders simultaneously. 

In areas with few other resources, a rural food pantry is often one of the few available safety nets – if not the only safety net. If you want to donate to hunger relief in Western New York, know this: a dollar here feeds a neighbor, not a bureaucracy. A gift here sustains not just a pantry, but a community.

(Related reading: When Will Food Insecurity in Rural Western New York Be a Priority?)

OFP urges foundations, major donors and those with the power to invest boldly in nonprofit work to look beyond the skyline — to see the families, children and seniors who are quietly struggling just outside the public eye.

Nonprofits Fighting Hunger in Rural New York: Join Us in Fighting Food Insecurity Where It’s Often Ignored

As one of the most effective and efficient nonprofits fighting hunger in rural New York, Olean Food Pantry is proof that rural impact in the war on food insecurity is real — and measurable.

We invite you to be part of this redemption story off the beaten path. To help us ensure that backwoods towns like ours won’t be forgotten. To put your philanthropy where it can stretch, serve and sustain.

Because here in impoverished Western New York, it’s never just a meal. It’s fuel for a job interview. It’s energy for a child at school. It’s hope for a better tomorrow. And it all starts with you. 

Donate today: oleanfoodpantry.org/donate.