Measuring Impact Where It Matters Most: How OFP Serves Families on the Margins

Yes, we count everything here at Olean Food Pantry. It’s part of our due diligence and transparency to grant funders, donors and the communities we serve. What we can’t count, however, are the intangible moments — of dignity, of relief, of hope.

Yet we’re still called to communicate these moments, to spread the message, to use great storytelling in an appeal to support the rural War on Hunger. These moments occur in a chronically underserved region where resources are limited and need is great. 

Measuring our impact isn’t optional. It’s essential. We must embrace the storytelling moments while also using data as a siren for help. Whether you’re a smaller donor, foundation grantmaker or someone who simply cares about food justice, you deserve to know how your support translates into real change. 

As a food pantry with measurable community impact, we work every day to ensure our outcomes are as strong as our intentions — and that our reports match the reality we see on the ground

Hunger in the Margins: Why Data Matters

We serve residents of Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. Nearly 1 in 4 households here face food insecurity. It’s hard to quantify, but our decades-long expertise in providing free food assistance tells us a great number more live just on the cusp of poverty. 

They may be hardworking folks who still struggle because the factory where they work has frequent layoffs due to work stoppages in a shaky economy. They may even be office professionals who on the surface appear stable, but still can’t make ends meet after the monthly onslaught of student loan payments. 

(Indeed, the faces of hunger are many and are varied. We’ve written about them frequently in this blog and the local media.) 

These families live on the margins of poverty, affordable access to healthy food and public attention. Their struggles are quiet but constant. That’s why we listen closely to their stories while also tracking:

• Numbers of individuals and families served
• Frequency of service per household
• Geographic reach across underserved zip codes
• Demographic insights to ensure more equitable service
• Food volume distributed (by unit, type & nutritional value)
• Volunteer staffing capacity
• Program growth in response to crises (e.g., SNAP disruptions & federal shutdowns)

Paired with our data, the stories of those we serve – from seniors who can’t afford both medicine and groceries to kids showing up to school with empty stomachs – ground our reports in humanity, not just spreadsheets.

What High-Impact Food Pantry Donations Make Possible

Donors and grant funders want to make a difference. True community impact is the “why” behind their missions. So in the name of representing and pleading for support within our communities, we’re proud to show exactly how that happens here.

A gift to OFP isn’t diluted by high overhead. We’re a 100% volunteer-run organization, meaning there’s no payroll, no executive compensation. Every dollar stretches farther:

• $100 can fill grocery carts for multiple families
• $1,000 can help restock fresh eggs & produce from local grocers
• $10,000 can support infrastructure like refrigeration or mobile outreach
• $25,000+ can underwrite innovative solutions like our proposed solar panel installation, which will reinvest utility savings directly into food distribution

Because of wholesale and nonprofit partnerships, your donation buys more than twice the food it would at retail. That’s more than twice the impact — and even more when factored alongside our strategic programming and outreach.

Donor Transparency: Sharing What You Help Build in the War on Hunger

When we say “thank you,” we mean it — backed by data, accountability and genuine gratitude. The future of hunger relief isn’t just about more. It’s about smarter, targeted, data-informed service. 

Here at Olean Food Pantry, we serve tens of thousands of families every year, and we do so with intention, efficiency and a commitment to measuring what matters. When you support OFP, you’re not just filling shelves. You’re filling lives with possibility. You’re investing in a high-impact food pantry where donations are deeply respected and transparently used.

Let’s make every dollar — and every meal — count. As always, we appreciate your tax-deductible donation today!