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When you are grocery shopping, you are probably thinking about what your own family needs for the week.

But what if you added one or two extra items to your cart for a local food pantry?

A can of vegetables, a box of pasta, or a jar of peanut butter may not seem like much. But when neighbors contribute what they can, those small donations add up and help keep pantry shelves stocked for families who need a little extra help.

Here in Canton, the Neighborhood Center is one of the local resources helping people in our community access food. Supporting our local food pantry is one simple way to help our neighbors throughout the year.

What Do Food Pantries Need?

The best place to start is by asking your local pantry what they need most.

Food pantry needs change throughout the year. One week there may be plenty of canned vegetables, while another week the pantry may be running low on pasta, cereal, or other staples.

If you are making a grocery run and want to pick up a few things to donate, shelf-stable foods are often a good choice.

Pantry Staples to Consider

Depending on the pantry’s current needs, useful donations may include:

• Peanut butter
• Canned vegetables
• Canned fruit
• Canned beans
• Canned tuna or other canned fish
• Canned soup
• Canned meat
• Pasta
• Rice
• Oatmeal
• Cereal
• Pasta sauce
• Boxed meals
• Shelf-stable milk
• Cooking oil

Think about the foods your own family uses regularly.

Those everyday pantry staples can be especially helpful to someone trying to stretch a limited grocery budget.

Check Before You Donate

Before dropping off a large donation, check with the pantry to find out what they currently need and what they can accept.

Food donations should generally be:

• Unopened
• In their original packaging
• Properly labeled
• In good condition
• Appropriate for the pantry’s storage and distribution requirements

If you have fresh produce, frozen food, or refrigerated items to donate, ask first. Some organizations can accept them, while others may not have the storage or handling resources.

Homemade food and leftovers are generally not appropriate for food pantry donations because the organization cannot verify how they were prepared or stored.

A quick check before donating can help make sure what you bring is actually useful.

You Don’t Have to Give a Lot

One of the easiest ways to support a food pantry is to make giving part of something you are already doing.

Going grocery shopping?

Add an extra item.

See canned vegetables on sale?

Pick up an extra can.

Have an unopened pantry staple you can share?

Set it aside for your local pantry.

You don’t have to fill a grocery cart or make a large donation to participate.

Small contributions from many people can make a meaningful difference.

And if buying food isn’t possible right now, there are other ways to help. You can volunteer, share a local food drive, or help spread the word about available food resources.

Giving looks different for everyone.

Donate to the Canton Neighborhood Center Food Pantry

If you would like to make a food donation directly, the Canton Neighborhood Center is located at 5 West Street, Canton, NY 13617. The Center’s current listing shows regular hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can also call 315-386-3541 before bringing a donation if you have questions about what is currently needed or how to arrange your donation.

The Neighborhood Center also accepts food donations as part of its community support efforts.

If you are planning a larger food drive or fundraiser, contacting the Center ahead of time is a good way to coordinate the donation and make sure the items will be useful.

Supporting the Neighborhood Center

Food insecurity doesn’t disappear when the holidays are over. Families can need assistance at any time of year, which makes community support important all year long.

That is why I wanted to find a way to make giving a little easier.

Help Support the Food Pantry Through My Bread Drive

I’m hosting a Pampered Chef bread drive to support the Neighborhood Center’s food pantry here in Canton.

For $9, you can purchase a French-Style Demi-Baguette Mix package. I will order the mix and deliver the bread to the Neighborhood Center food pantry.

How to Participate

$9 per French-Style Demi-Baguette Mix package

Venmo: @Candy-Foote
Please put “Food Pantry” in the note.

PayPal: candy @ candyfoote .club
Remove the spaces when entering the email address.

This is a simple way to help provide something useful to our local food pantry while participating in a fundraiser from home.

Want to help? One $9 package can be one small way to make a difference right here in our community.

Whether you donate a can of food, participate in the bread drive, volunteer your time, or share information about local food assistance, every bit of community support matters.

And sometimes, helping really can start with adding one more thing to your cart.