Cornell Coop Ext, St. Luke’s Receive Funding Through New York Food For New York Families Program

Two local organizations are recipients of funding through the New York Food for New York Families program.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that over $40 million has been awarded to 102 food service organizations across the state. Included in that is $800,000 for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County and $39,200.75 for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

The program, which is funded through a United States Department of Agriculture grant, aims to provide a boost to New York farmers, increase communities’ access to local foods, and further strengthen New York’s food system.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets was awarded two rounds of funding through the USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) Program to implement the New York Food for New York Families Program. The program was designed to create a more resilient statewide food system that supports local farms and provides high quality, nutritious food to communities facing food insecurity.

Grant funds were awarded food banks and pantries, schools and universities, farm collectives, medical centers, and a variety of non-profit organizations, to implement projects that purchase New York-grown food products and distribute them to underserved communities. It also provides technical assistance to help growers sell into the New York Food for New York Families program. Food purchases will support local farmers, including traditionally disadvantaged farmers, help producers access new markets, fill gaps in the supply and distribution chain, and increase access of underserved communities to local food.