Food pantry funding

Did you read the article on the front page of today's Watertown Times - Food Pantries Cope with Loss of Annual Grant Program?

Nothing I say or write is meant to disparage Mr. Feinstein or his Foundation - he has been giving away a million dollars a  year for a long time.

But, one line in the article says it all for me... "Last year, the Carthage pantry collected around $20,000 worth of donations during the two-month challenge, which earned it a $300 grant from the Feinstein Challenge."

The organization I was previously with stopped participating in this program a few years ago because we did not feel we could call it a "matching grant" or even a "challenge grant" when we knew we would receive only pennies on the dollar.

I am sure that each of the food pantries mentioned in the article and many others around the region could find a local sponsor who would donate $300 or even $1,000 to sponsor a challenge.  I was glad to read on and find that the Lowville Food Pantry was thinking about it that way.

The bottom line - people are generous and they want to help.  With or without a challenge grant, people will respond if we explain the needs and ask.

Gloria