Responding to Food Insecurity, Pantry Launches Donor Campaign

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown resident Ellen St. John founded the Cooperstown Food Pantry in 1977. At first, donated food was stored in a cupboard in the Village Library, and then St. John would distribute it to neighbors facing hunger. Over the years, the pantry has grown in scope and services. Otsego County neighbors in need can receive a monthly distribution of food, which includes fresh produce, frozen meat and fresh dairy.

The pantry, now located at 25 Church Street in Cooperstown, is open Monday through Saturday and serves the entirety of Otsego County.

So far in 2024, CFP has served an average of 185 households, equating to about 634 people per month, a 35 percent increase over 2023.

“This increase in demand, driven by high prices for housing, food, and childcare, led the pantry’s Board to establish the Ellen’s Cupboard Society,” explained Will Kleffner, executive director of the Cooperstown Food Pantry. “We are seeking people who will help us achieve our mission to address poverty and hunger throughout Otsego County.”

Individuals who give cumulative gifts of $1,000.00 or more to the pantry in 2024 will become Charter Members of the Ellen’s Cupboard Society.

Kleffner noted that the pantry relies on a core of more than 80 volunteers, as well as partnerships. CFP is a member of Feeding America, which enables the organization to receive $10.00 worth of food for distribution for each dollar raised. Kleffner said they purchase almost 10,000 pounds of food each month from their partners at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York in Latham.

Working with the local Grand Union and Price Chopper supermarkets, the pantry distributes a monthly average of 12,000 pounds of food that would otherwise go to landfills. It also has strategic partnerships with Bassett Medical Center, Otsego County Department of Social Services, Cooperstown Central School, and Otsego 2000 and the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market.

Reflecting on her work with Ellen St. John, former CFP executive director and member of the pantry’s Board of Directors Audrey Murray spoke about St. John’s impact on the community: “Ellen’s gentle spirit, compassion and fierce advocacy for those in need shaped who we are today. She spent countless hours from 1977-2012 quietly working to support our community.”

“Ellen St. John recognized and filled an essential community need,” said Kleffner. “Today, we are seeking individuals who see the food insecurity so many of our neighbors are experiencing, and then invest in the food pantry by becoming charter members of the Ellen’s Cupboard Society.”
In addition to food, funds are needed to cover operational expenses including transportation, storage and volunteer training.

For more information on becoming a Charter Member of the Ellen’s Cupboard Society, contact Will Kleffner at (607) 547-4419. To donate, mail a check to Cooperstown Food Pantry, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown 13326, or donate online at cooperstownfoodpantry.org. The Cooperstown Food Pantry is a registered 501c3 organization.

Individuals in need of food can call the Cooperstown Food Pantry, (607) 547-4419, to arrange for a pickup. The monthly distribution includes a five-day supply of food, three meals a day, per person in a household. Personal care items and diapers are also available. The Cooperstown Food Pantry serves the entirety of Otsego County. No referral is needed, and no one is ever turned away.

The Cooperstown Food Pantry, located at 25 Church Street in Cooperstown, is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, Thursdays from 1 pm to 5 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to noon. See www.cooperstownfoodpantry.org for more information.