Since May of 2020 the Little Free Pantry at 180 Washington avenue, near Bank street, has been assisting those in the City of Batavia who are in need of food. So far in 2021, residents using the Pantry has more than doubled. Food insecurity and homelessness is an issue in Genesee County.
“We saw a huge need when people were unemployed last year,” says Sharon Kubiniec, Organizer at the Little Free Pantry.
According to Sharon, Batavia has a huge homelessness problem. She says the Pantry gets filled 4-6 times a day and it all goes daily. Last Thanksgiving, the pantry distributed 240 full meals for families of four, this year they distributed 650 meals for a family of four at Thanksgiving.
“We don’t ever have things left over that’s how big the need is in Batavia.”
With the help of local community organizations and area donors, the Little Free Pantry is now distributing full microwaveable meals to many who do not have a way to cook fresh foods.
“There are people that don’t have stoves, the only way they can eat is with a microwave, so we want stuff that can be heated up quickly because they can’t cook. You need to meet people where they are at so that’s what we are now trying to do.”
Local meal prep service, Commit to Well is also assisting with ready-made meals that people in the community can purchase on their website which Commit to Well will then drop the meals off at the Little Free Pantry refrigerator once per week.
(Link to Commit to Well-meal prep-(20+) Commit to Well | Facebook)
On Friday morning, a group of dedicated community volunteers gathered in the kitchen at St. James Church on East Main street to make four different kinds of soup that will be available at the Little Free Pantry this weekend.
The Batavia Rotary along with the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union and community donors have donated money during the holiday season this year.
“We decided to make as many meals as possible to get everyone through the holidays. Today, we are making four different types of soups. Chicken Noodle, Minestrone, Beef Barley with Lentils and Ham and White Bean. Fina Burroni, a volunteer/restaurant owner and friend of Dr. Michael Kubiniec and his wife Sharon, provided the recipes and the guidance in making the soups. Rotarians and members from St. James Church are volunteering their time and cooking skills to put it all together.”
“When St. James Church heard we needed a certified kitchen, they didn’t even hesitate in offering their kitchen along with their pots and pans, electricity and volunteers.”
The Little Free Pantry was started by Jenn Noon and Marianne Skye in 2020. Noon was putting food out in front of her home on State Street and soon realized that the need for food in Batavia was beyond her food stand.
She and Skye approached Dr Michael Kubiniec and his wife Sharon and wanted to place a refrigerator near their dentistry office at 180 Washington avenue with the idea that they would now be able to have frozen and refrigerator items as well.
Sharon says she and her husband realized they needed a more secure location, so they had a contractor build a pantry that was insulated and had shelves, more like a mini store.
“Food insecurity in Batavia seems to be at an all-time high. The price of food has gone up drastically and many people are too proud to ask for help, so this enables them to get a little help more discretely than applying for assistance. Many people use the pantry for a one-time instance and others go to the pantry daily. The ones that go daily we have tried to reach out to and help them get assistance through the many programs available here in Genesee County,” says Sharon.
The Little Free Pantry is now a not-for-profit group, which enables the pantry to get food distributions from a food bank.
“We have many volunteers that clean the refrigerator and throw out expired produce, shop for sales, pick up from local stores and people who donate money to the cause. Our patients have been extremely supportive with donations.
Local farmers have been extremely generous in donating food from their harvests during the warmer months.
“We try to have healthy options at the pantry and no “junk food”. Many people who use the pantry don’t have stoves or ovens, they only have access to a microwave, so we are now trying to have meals made up that they can just reheat.”
“Many families, as well as kids, have been so appreciative of the pantry. I think right now we all just need a helping hand and what better way to help then to give someone a meal. We now have cameras on
the pantry so we can see who is using it and making sure everyone and the panty remains safe and secure.”
“We are so blessed in Batavia that the residents all come together to help one another, this is just a labor of love.”
The group made 500 quarts of soup today and they will be available for the next 5 days at the Pantry at 180 Washington avenue.
To contact the Little Free Pantry, message them at their Facebook page below.
(20) The Little Free Pantry – Batavia, NY | Facebook
