Mayor proclaims Food Pantry Week in Akron

Village of Akron Mayor Carl Patterson presented a proclamation proclaiming the week of October 9-16 as Akron-Newstead Food Pantry Week during the Village Board meeting on Monday night.

The proclamation recognizes the community efforts to help those faced with difficult times and encourages participation in the annual food drive.

The Annual Akron/Newstead Community Holiday Food Drive which helps stock the shelves of the Akron/Newstead Food Pantry is underway.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many families and individuals seeing loss of jobs, health insurance, and some, their homes, and many local businesses have also faced difficult times.  All of those realities have hit the Food Pantry hard, as its works to help people get through times of food scarcity, while finding donations more difficult to obtain at times.

The Community Holiday Food Drive committee members know that a large community gathering of donors as was past practice, is an uncertainty and they are planning the same drive format as in 2020.  The week of October 9-16 will be Akron-Newstead Food Pantry Week in Akron and Newstead.  During that week, the American Legion Post, 9 Eckerson Avenue, will be open for food drop off purposes, with October 16 the final day for food drop off, a drive-thru food drop off at the Legion.

In October of 2020, the Community Holiday Food Drive raised more than $20,000, as well as carloads of food, but needs exceeded that generosity and the food pantry is again, in dire need.

Optional ways you can help include:

Send a check payable to “Akron/Newstead Food Pantry” and mail to Community Holiday Food Drive, PO. Box 47, Akron, NY 14001.

Use food bins and cash jars for non-perishable food items, household supplies and cash donations.  They are located at various business location throughout the town and village.  Donate this way through October 16, 2021.  Please check expiration dates of the items you ae donating.

Donate food by going to the Legion and leaving it in the outside enclosed area on the Est side of the building where you would normally enter for the events.

Bring your food and/or checks to the Legion between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October, 16, 2021.