Support Our Food Program!

We are often asked how people can help the Youth Center and our members. One of our programs that continuously needs support is our food program. Did you know that we serve after school snacks and dinner each day? Our food program, along with every service and program provided by the YC, is always completely free for all members. We serve approximately 15,000 meals each year, totaling nearly 750,000 meals served since our food program first began.

Our food program has evolved and grown a lot since its first inception. A few decades ago, the YC would close for an hour each evening to allow children to go home and have dinner before racing back to finish out their night. Our former Executive Director, Matt Congdon, noticed dozens of children would linger outside the doors, counting down the minutes until they could re-enter their favorite place. Matt realized that these children didn’t have dinner waiting for them at home, and it was then that family dinners became a daily staple at the center. While the food program helps fight local food insecurity for our youth, it also provides a lot more than just full stomachs. In non-Covid times, dinner is had every single night around a table with the staff (we’ve adapted with outdoor, social-distanced, picnics and to-go bags). Our small, consistent, staff of four provides that much needed emotional support while these kids navigate the trials and tribulations of their school- aged years. Palettes are expanded beyond just ramen and cereal as kids try new foods. Some YC favorites include tacos, chili, and ’breakfast for dinner’!

Monetary donations are incredibly helpful and crucial for keeping this program afloat. Donated funds allow us to purchase groceries to serve hundreds of meals each week, along with some pantry take-home items, and treats for holidays and celebrations. If you’re someone who prefers to donate in a different way, or you’d like to be sure your funds are used on groceries exclusively, another incredibly helpful gift would be a Hannaford gift card! We shop almost exclusively at Hannaford Supermarkets, and having gift cards on hand helps mitigate the cost of our yearly food budget-- which is several thousand dollars. We are swiftly approaching the holiday season, including Giving Tuesday, which lands on November 30th this year. If you are able to make a donation this month to the Youth Center, please know that you are supporting life changing programs for children. Food insecurity is a very real and scary thing, and I think many people in our community would be shocked to know how many local kids go to bed hungry each night. 90% of our members fall below the poverty line, and being able to provide them with a meal each day helps fill the gaps in their nutrition. 

Monetary donations can be made on our website, while checks and gift cards can be mailed to PO Box 469 Glens Falls, NY 12801! We appreciate your support and care for the disadvantaged youth in our community!