The Emergency Food Cupboard is solely run by volunteers.

Hours of Operation

Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Friday 9:00 a.m.-Noon

To Qualify- Participants must be income eligible and provide a Photo I.D and proof of address. Participants are allowed to utilize the pantry once every six months.

 

FOODLINK

Every Tuesday a volunteer brings goods from Foodlink that includes fresh vegetables, breads, cheese and other items. Through the New York State HAPNA grant food is purchased in bulk through Foodlink. Volunteers pick and store on shelves all items.

 

Bread Ministry

For over 28 years the Monks at the Abbey of the Genesee have sent fresh bread from their bakery into the city. Calvary St. Andrews has been a recipient of the bread that is then given to families and individuals in the neighborhood. Each week the Abbey of the Genesee delivers us 160 loaves of Monks Bread to be distributed to our neighbors in the South Wedge. Residents primarily elderly and low-income venture into our chapel to receive this blessing of bread by the monks. We give God thanks for the long, faithful partnership we have had with the Monks at the Abbey of the Genesee. Brother Ross has been a faithful deliverer of that bread for most of our partnership years.

 

United Way Donor Option

The Emergency Food Cupboard receives  major financial support through the United Way Donor Option. These funds go to purchase additional food not available through Food link. Our number is 1620 when you are filling our your United Way Pledge.

 

Food Acquisition:  We purchase about three-quarters of the food from Food Link using the NY State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program grant.  The remainder comes from generous donations from individuals and organizations:

Calvary St. Andrew’s members and supporters

Boy Scout /Girl Scout Food Drive

USPS Workers Food Drives

Wegman’s Food Markets at Hylan Drive:  Tuesday Robert Lauterbach picks up produce and bread and distributes it to about 15-20 recipients

 

Abbey of the Genesee: Each Wednesday, Brother Ross donates 60 loaves.  Jean and Alton Bush have managed the bread distribution for 25 years with a wonderful spirit

 

Pittsford Presbyterian Church

Mendon Presbyterian Church

St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center

United Way Donor Option #1620

Rochester Children’s Nursery

Brighton United Church of Christ

St. Alban’s-St. Cecilia Guild Christ Episcopal Church

Webster Presbyterian Church

St. John Fisher Students with a Vision

Nazareth College Dr. Jed Metzgar

 

Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets

At Easter, 25 deserving families identified through the food cupboard received Holiday Baskets.

 

Continuing this year was our Thanksgiving basket program.  Thanks to a $1000 grant from the Masonic Lodge last spring in the name of former Emergency Food Cupboard Director – Karl Reich Jr., we were able to provide turkeys or hams to 60 families.

 

We also continued our Christmas basket program.  We focused on donating food to 60 families that have used the Emergency Food Cupboard.  Many thanks go to

Barbara Mitchell who coordinated all of the holiday basket programs.  It is very time consuming to gather the names and insure qualified people come at the right time to pick up their holiday basket.  She even wraps the boxes with holiday paper to make them more festive.

 

These projects would not be possible without donations from supporters and the shoppers, callers, sorters, lifters, wrappers and packers from the CSA Emergency Food Cupboard volunteer staff and other members of the CSA.

 

Crisis Intervention and Referrals

Often emergency food is not the only need for participants that come to the Food Cupboard. Many come needing help with clothing, health care, drug treatment, housing, assistance with Social Services, Social Security or unemployment.

 

Our Food Cupboard is an important link in the community of caring and we receive referrals from many (40+) non-profit agencies and service based organizations.  We regularly serve people outside the 14620 zip code area who have referrals and then provide them with information about services within their area.

 

Heifer Fund:  Heifer Fund (www.heifer.org) is a special fund whereby people donate their spare change throughout the year.  They do this in the “Cow Jar” that is often on the altar.  Over the past year $500 was collected.  The money was donated to Heifer International, a non-profit organization that works to end world hunger and save the earth through the gift of farm animals and training and a COW was purchased.  The Sunday school children decide which projects to donate the money, so this fund covers all generations in the church.  It takes $500 to buy a cow…hence the name Cow Jar.

 

 

 

Star Group Ministry

The North Star has been used for centuries to guide travelers on foot, over the ocean and in the air. Stars give brightness to the nigh time sky. And so it is with our Star Group names by themselves, these wonderful specially challenged individuals bring brightness and light into the lives of CSA members. Loden Lane is a residential facility in Henrietta that serves as home for several of our CSA members. Our ministry spans over 28 years were we have learned more about who God is through the eyes, ears and hearts of our brothers and sister. We also have members that live in the community in private residents or apartments. The Star Group attends weekly worship, assists in coffee hours, as greeters and at special functions. God’s joy is known through our friends.