A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Chemung, New York distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.
There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.
Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.
Salvation Army Food Pantry
The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.
The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Chemung, New York from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.
We have located 1 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
The Salvation Army - Elmira Corps
Services provided :
- Aid to Families
- Alcohol and Drug Treatment
- Boys' & Girls' Club
- Casework Services
- Character Building Programs
- Christian Education
- Community Recreation & Education Programs
- Community Recreation Programs
- Day Camp Activities
- Disaster Services
- Domestic Violence Services
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Emergency Shelter
- Food & Nutrition
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Group Homes
- Group Work Services
- Homemaker Services
- Men's Ministries
- Military Personnel Assistance
- Missing Persons
- Music & Arts Programs
- Rehabilitation
- Seasonal Services
- Visitation Services
- Women's Ministries
- Worship Services - Children's / Teen
- Worship Services - Church
- Worship Services - Sunday School
- Worship Services - Young Adult
- Worship Services - Youth Ministries
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 732-0314 to book your appointment.
Address :
414 Lake St,
Elmira, NY 14901.
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Church Food Pantry
A number of churches around Chemung, New York have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.
Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.
Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.
We have located 4 Church Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Horseheads Food Pantry (First Presbyterian Church)
Provides food to individuals in the community who are in need. Accepts prepackaged food donations. Hours: Tue & Thu 12pm-2pm
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 739-3854 to book your appointment.
Address :
2943 Westinghouse Rd,
Horseheads, NY 14845.
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- Horseheads
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
New Beginnings United Methodist Church Food Pantry
Provides food items such as baked goods, produce and canned goods to individuals in need. Eligibility: Must reside in Chemung County. Hours: Mon 8am-noon.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 734-2293 to book your appointment.
Address :
330 W Church St,
Elmira, NY 14901.
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- Elmira
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- Chemung
North Presbyterian Church Food Pantry
Motivated by Christ’s love, the NPC Food Pantry continues Christ’s work by feeding the unemployed, the working poor, the elderly, and the physically and mentally challenged in the Elmira area. We strive to foster a caring atmosphere and treat each person with dignity and care about each one as an individual. We are dedicated to maintaining a continuous growth in services to assist our clients to improve their quality of life. Requirements to Receive Food: Valid I.D. Proof of Address ID for every member in the household receiving food. We are a “Client Choice†Food Pantry. This means, we do not pack bags of food ahead of time for the clients. The client chooses the food their individual household needs. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 am – 12 pm
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 734-2977 to book your appointment.
Address :
921 College Ave,
Elmira, NY 14901.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Elmira
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- Chemung
Oakwood United Methodist Church Food Pantry
Provides food to individuals in the community who are in need. Hours: Fri 5:30pm-7:30pm. Documents Required: Photo ID needed for first time registration.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 732-6042 to book your appointment.
Address :
212 Oakwood Ave,
Elmira, NY 14903.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.
Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.
Catholic Charities in Chemung, New York are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.
The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.
First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.
We have located 1 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Catholic Charities' Emergency Services Center
To access the Food Pantry, individuals must be clients of The Samaritan Center. Enrollment is simple and can be done on your first visit. Income eligibility is required. Please bring social security cards for all members of the family. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 10am – 3:30pm; Tuesday: 10am – 4:30pm (closed for lunch from noon – 1pm)
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 734-4898 to book your appointment.
Address :
380 S Main St,
Elmira, NY 14904.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Chemung, New York almost entirely by volunteers.
It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.
Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.
We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Mobile Food Pantry
The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Chemung, New York in need during large-scale one-day distributions.
A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.
Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.
Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024
Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.
Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.
We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Chemung, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Chemung, New York much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.
It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.
We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Food Pantry Delivery Program
Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Chemung, New York area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.
Food Pantry
We have located 5 Food Pantry locations in Chemung, New York which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Pennsylvania Avenue Food Cupboard
Pennsylvania Avenue Food Cupboard Mission Statement: “No one should go hungry. The Pennsylvania Avenue Food Cupboard commits to distribute quality food to those in need of nutritional assistance regardless of age, ethnicity, or religious belief, in a manner that demonstrates God’s generous love, and preserve dignity and self-worth. Additionally, we dedicate ourselves to partner with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and a variety of community groups to fight hunger in our community.†We have recently joined forces with Let Elmira Live to create “Feed Elmira.†Our food pantries are on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 9-11 am here at PAUMC and on the 2nd and 4th Thursday from 5-7 pm at Feed Elmira, 500 Walnut Street, Elmira. Any household may stop at any food cupboard, but is limited to once a month between the two sites. In order to register, a proof of residency must be provided for every member of the household. We will except driver’s license, utility bill, and official mail showing resident’s name and address. For children, we will accept report card, official mail, or, if under school age, birth certificate. Only one proof of residence is required per person. Emergency food boxes are available as needed. A member of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier…striving to help families and children meet their nutritional needs.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 733-4485 to book your appointment.
Address :
1238 Pennsylvania Avenue Pne,
City, NY 14871.
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- City
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- Chemung
Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry
Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry is committed to helping those with food insecurities in Chemung County. Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry offers: Canned fruits and vegetables, Cereal, Meat, Dairy items. Our Regular hours are Tuesday from 11am to 2pm. Clients are able to come to the pantry once per month. Please provide ID for all those in your household whom you will be receiving food for.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 732-1995 to book your appointment.
Address :
161 High St,
Elmira, NY 14901.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
Feed Elmira Food Pantry
The mission of the Let Elmira Live Foundation is to endeavor to improve the quality of life for low-income, at risk families residing in the inner city and surrounding areas of Elmira in Chemung County. Goal: To establish and operate Feed Elmira ‘Feeding Centers’ in strategic areas of high poverty. Hours: 2nd and 4th Thursdays
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 767-1132 to book your appointment.
Address :
500 Walnut St,
Elmira, NY 14901.
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- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
In His Presence Food Pantry
Provides food to individuals in the community who are in need.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 529-6387 to book your appointment.
Address :
1155 Richard St,
Elmira, NY 14904.
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- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
New Life Assembly of God - Elmira Food Pantry
Our Food Pantry serves the east side of Elmira, surrounding communities, and those individuals and families that are going through difficult times. The pantry is open on the 2nd and the 4th Tuesdays of every month from 6:00pm until there are no more people. We open our doors at about 5:00pm so that the people can come into the building, where we enjoy serving them while they wait to get groceries. On the 4th Tuesday we give away Birthday give cakes to those having a birthday, we give away some practical gifts, we share the Word of God and offer prayer all while we get to know them. As we build relationships, doors open for opportunities to minister to their needs. We serve anyone in need regardless of their income level. We desire to extend mercy as God has shown mercy and grace to us. We believe it is our honor, privilege, and responsibility to serve God by helping meet the nutritional and spiritual needs of others through Christ's love. The New Life Food Pantry Team, motivated by Christ's love, is not only committed to serving natural bread, but also the Bread of Life.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (607) 735-0461 to book your appointment.
Address :
325 Lake St,
Elmira, NY 14901.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Elmira
Help Residents of Counties:
- Chemung
Drive-thru Food Pantries
Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.
Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?
Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.
Only two piece of information is asked
- You Zipcode, and
- Number of people in their family.
You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.
How do drive-thru pantries actually work?
There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:
Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.
Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.
Checkin.
You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.
Food is loaded into the cars.
Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.
Pet Food Pantry
One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.
The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Chemung, New York
Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry
Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:
- All ages, races and marital status
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Retired, living on social security or other limited income
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry
Show up early.
This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.
You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.
Remember all documentation.
Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.
This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.
It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.
Use several food banks.
Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.
For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.
Eligible for other programs?
Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.
They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Ask about extras.
If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.
Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.
Go on different days of the week.
Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.
Be polite to workers.
Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.
FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. Who can go to food pantry?
At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.
4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?
A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.
5. How does a food pantry work?
Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.