Real stories of real change
From impactful volunteer events to inspiring stories of advocacy and change, see what’s new with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. You can also stay up to date on all the latest stories by subscribing to our Harvester Newsletter.
Your next trip to Wegmans can help bring nutritious food to a neighbor’s table. From October 21 through November 28, the annual Check Out Hunger campaign invites you to support the Food Bank of the Southern Tier while shopping for your own household. At Wegmans stores in Corning, Elmira, Hornell, Ithaca, and Johnson City, you [...]
The first week Samantha and Dee arrived in Hornell, their children were staying with family while they worked to piece together something every family needs — a place to call home. “We had nothing,” Samantha said. No furniture. No food in the cupboards. Just determination to rebuild. What they found next was a community that [...]
During her 32-year career in education, Tracey Hayes has been a part of many meaningful projects. But the Spartan Food Center is a special one. “It shows everything a school community can be: caring, welcoming, and committed to helping every student and family thrive,” Tracey said. Four years ago, Tracey and her colleagues opened the [...]
When people think about addressing hunger, they often think of food pantries and food banks. While those resources are essential, one of the most powerful anti-hunger tools available is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP. SNAP helps eligible individuals and families purchase food each month, providing a reliable source of support that [...]
When our community comes together, incredible things happen! Local businesses joined the Food Bank of the Southern Tier for our 2026 Leader of the Pack event, bringing teamwork, energy, and a shared commitment to helping children across the Southern Tier access nutritious food. Together, participating teams packed an impressive 4,800 BackPack bags, helping support children [...]
Every day across the Southern Tier, local partners help connect neighbors with nutritious food. They know their communities, build relationships and bring care and commitment to the work of improving food access. On September 29, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier recognized that dedication at its annual Partner Celebration at Tioga Downs Conference Center. [...]
During harvest season, every day looks a little different for Jason Yarrington and his team. As the Director of Warehouse Operations at the Food Bank, Jason said it’s common to get between 400 and 900 pounds of produce in a single delivery from a local farm – especially during harvest season, the warehouse’s busiest time [...]
Over the last four summers, Donna Mistler has seen children get excited about something you may not expect: eating their fruits and vegetables. That excitement comes from a program called Kids’ Farmers Markets – where any child under the age of 18 can try a variety of fresh produce from local farmers and bring home [...]
More than 100 Corning Incorporated employees came together for the annual Corning Leader of the Pack BackPack Challenge, racing to pack 4,800 backpacks filled with nutritious food for children experiencing food insecurity across the Southern Tier. This year, the event also marked the culmination of Glass & Giving: 175 Years & $175K, which began with [...]
For local farmers like KC Mandeville, summer is busier than ever. “We’re a family farm. It’s just my wife, myself, and my son,” KC said. From May to October, farms across NYS aren’t just harvesting their produce. They’re also looking for reliable wholesale buyers and the right consumer market. That can be a tough part [...]
