The BFNC Neighborhood House says it now has the ability to double the families it serves.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Families struggling with food insecurity on Buffalo’s East Side now have expanded support, thanks to major upgrades at the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers’ food pantry.
The BFNC, which has provided pantry services in the neighborhood for the past 13 years, recently completed more than $100,000 in renovations to its Neighborhood House facility located at 76 Orange St. It’s a move that will allow them to serve twice as many families each month.
“We were operating out of a small space. It was dimly lit, but there was a need, and so people were coming,” said Chandra Redfern, CEO of the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers.
The organization previously served about 150 families a month. With the expanded space, they expect that number to reach 300.
“As demand grew, we knew our space needed to grow too,” Redfern said. “We were able to take out a wall, enlarge the space, update electrical, update lighting.”
The expansion was made possible in part by grant funding from New York state. It comes at a time when inflation and rising living costs are putting increased pressure on working families.
“Everything is more expensive, and they just don’t have enough money,” Redfern said. “People should not be [unable] to have a nutritious meal, or a meal at all, because they can’t afford it. That just doesn’t make sense in the country that we live in.”
According to state data, Buffalo’s East Side has a poverty rate of 32.6%, and approximately 43% of residents rely on SNAP benefits. Redfern said she believes the actual figures may be even higher in certain areas.
“And I would dare say in some areas, the numbers are even higher — unfortunately.”
Still, Redfern emphasized that food pantries are only a temporary solution to a larger issue.
“I think sometimes people may have a certain perception of who a pantry user is,” she said. “A lot of people that utilize our pantry are working people with families. They’re just trying to make ends meet every month — they just don’t make enough money.”
And they’re not done yet. Renovations to the back portion of the building are currently underway and will include new community meeting spaces. The organization hopes that phase of the project will be completed by this fall.
The pantry is open every Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During that time, residents have access not only to dry goods, but also to meat and fresh vegetables.