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Food distribution continues on at St. Anthony's, recipients grateful

By Joanne Beck
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023

In a brisk sub-30 wind, about 30 volunteers gathered in the St. Anthony’s parking lot Wednesday morning taking care of business as usual for those folks in need lined up ready and waiting along Liberty Street.

Despite the city’s request to find an alternate location for its twice-monthly food distribution, City Church instead cautiously continued on, but with more emphatic reminders for participants to be mindful of where they parked as the line slowly moved its way toward the distribution center in the parking lot. A city vehicle was spotted leaving the scene, and Pastor Ryan Macdonald confirmed that a city official had visited the lot. 

“I’m just thankful that they’re allowing us to continue,” he said. 

A week prior, City Manager Rachael Tabelski confirmed that the city requested that City Church find another location for its distribution due to neighborhood and school complaints about traffic issues as a result of participants that line up on the street for the distribution early in the morning. 

Macdonald objected to the request for reasons including Becca Albrecht and Mattie Cooper. The women have no vehicles and have walked to get their food rations ever since the distribution began during COVID, they said. Both agreed they don’t know what they would do without the extra help.

“Me and my husband are on disability and have nine grandkids that we help out. One nine-year-old stays with me,” she said. “I get juices and vegetables. And sometimes we have cleaning products that they gave out this weekend. And it's just a big help in the community. We’re seniors, and we don't get enough for Social Security, you know. Even though we have two incomes coming in, it's so hard, because with all the medication and all, so you figure this here is a big help from the grocery store because the price of groceries is just outrageous.

“And I just love this church, the stuff they do. So I rent from the church,” she said. “So it’s really nice, it would be a blessing if they leave this here. Oh, we need it. We walk here every week.”

Albrecht’s husband works 40 hours a week, and they can still use all the help they can get, she said, to offset rising food costs for their family, which includes two little ones. 

“Ryan, he’s great, he does so much for this community. And, you know, to take it away, it would be heartbreaking, because us families need it in this time, it’s everything. It definitely helps with the food costs,” she said. 

She could understand that for residents on the street, there may be some issues with traffic congestion, but added another viewpoint.

“I mean, I'm sure for some people that live on Liberty, it’s a hassle. But, you know, if you think about it, we need to help one another and just be kind to each other, especially those, you know, Ryan and Pastor Marty are trying to help the community to get through to the needy families that need it,” she said.

They each had a small child’s wagon to haul the food back to their apartments, as did others who walked to the pick-up. Megan Little doesn’t have a vehicle either, and she walks everywhere, including to her job at a nearby restaurant. 

“I’ve come to the food distribution twice, but I've been coming to City Church, the service at 10 o'clock down at City Church, for about a year now. And because my stepson’s grandma is big in the City Church, and works with Ryan and stuff, and I got sober last year, and so I’m just trying to do this new way of life,” she said. “This is amazing how many people they help every every week. Like hundreds, if not thousands. It means a lot because right now my husband is not with us right now. He's gonna be away for a year, and so this is gonna help me a lot, especially around the holidays, and you get all kinds of stuff. They have fresh fruit, canned stuff. It's amazing.”

Some 100 vehicles had lined up along Liberty Street by 9 a.m. Most of them appeared to be parked in between driveways as instructed.  A woman who was parked toward the front of the line couldn’t understand the city’s reaction to the distribution.

“I’m really shocked that they said that,” she said, asking that her name not be used. “I go to the church. I like it here, I don’t see why they would have to move; it seems like it’s organized to me.” 

A big part of the organization system can be attributed to the volunteers that show up to stack the food in a long row, bag the loose items and prepare everything so that people can simply drive up and get their allotment and go so as not to create a disruption in the flow. 

Volunteer Sandy Wojtasczyk walked the line to get names and mark how many adults and children were in each. 

“And reminding them not to be parked in driveways or crosswalks,” she said. “And I help to give food out.”

Some vehicles had two families, and some participants will also distribute the food to the Little Free Pantry at First Presbyterian Church and to other organizations and neighbors in need, she said. 

Fellow volunteer Jennifer Reed has been helping out for about a year and a half and has been attending the church for 18 years. 

“I’ve observed all types of things: I've seen people crying, I've seen people overjoyed that they're getting assistance, with help getting food. I mean, it's just been a blessing to me as well as the people that come through the line,” Reed said. “I’ve never seen an issue with traffic, I mean, I've done everything from walking the streets, taking people's names that are going through the line, just observing, that nobody has been blocking driveways or blocking streets.

“And with the rise of food costs, this has been a blessing to the community. I mean, I have friends myself that come from Le Roy, and Wyoming. I've had people come as far as Attica. So people are coming from all over the region to get help with food.”

Former City Councilwoman Rosemary Christian, who represented that neighborhood’s Ward Six, reached out to The Batavian to voice her dismay about the city’s request to move the distribution. She has suffered some health issues and could not attend a council meeting in person, but wanted to urge others to consider doing so.

“The city streets belong to everyone who pays taxes, and those people all pay taxes too. The problem is, they can’t give up two and a half hours to help give people food?” Christian said. “It’s ridiculous, and they ought to be ashamed of themselves. I hope people will be there to protest this council so people will be able to get food.”

The Batavian has contacted Tabelski for an update on the city’s request and will add that to this article once received. 

The food for the distribution is funded by “the City Church family, USDA, Foodlink and other financial partners,” Macdonald said.

Photos by Howard Owens

st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
City Church pastors Ryan Macdonald and Marty Macdonald during a morning prayer at the start of Wednesday's food distribution at St. Anthony's on Liberty Street, Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens.
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
Ryan Macdonald and Mattie Cooper.
Photo by Howard Owens
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023
st anthony's food distribution dec. 2023

Community Food Distribution program begins Wednesday, heed advice for best pickup route

By Press Release

Press Release

In an effort to ensure the safety of students and staff during arrival and dismissal periods at Jackson Primary, the Batavia City School District, Batavia Police Department, and the City Church would like to remind the Batavia Community of the recommended pickup route for the City Church Community Food Distribution program at St. Anthony’s. 

The City Church currently hosts a bi-monthly food distribution program for community residents at St. Anthony’s Church. Those community members who wish to participate in the program must access Liberty Street via South Swan Street, Osterhout Avenue, or Otis Street. 

All food distribution traffic will be redirected to avoid Liberty Street between South Jackson and Sumner Streets and South Jackson between South Swan and Liberty Streets (the areas directly in front of and adjacent to Jackson Primary). Please see the attached map for the recommended route. 

The City Church Community Food Distribution program is scheduled every two weeks at 8 am on the following dates: September 14, September 28, October 12, October 26, November 9, November 23, and December 14, 2022.

Final food box distribution is 2 p.m. Monday at Northgate church

By Press Release

Press release:

The Salvation Army in partnership with Northgate Free Methodist Church in Batavia will be hosting their final food box distribution at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 28th.

The distribution will take place at the church's north campus located at 8160 Bank Street Road. This is a drive-thru distribution.

Be sure your trunk/hatch are cleared out for the volunteers to place the boxes in your vehicle. You will need a photo ID for each household you will be picking up for.

There will be boxes of assorted fresh produce and boxes of assorted dairy items. The distribution will continue until the boxes are gone.

When lining up ahead of time please do not block traffic and stay in your vehicle until it is time to procede.

Photos: Long lines again greet volunteers distributing food at Northgate Church

By Howard B. Owens

The Salvation Army and United Way hosted a free food distribution this morning at Northgate Church.

Upcoming food distributions:

July 22 at 9 a.m. -- Oakfield-Alabama CSD -- 7001 Lewiston Road, Oakfield (585) 948-5211

July 29 at 3 p.m. -- Byron-Bergen High School -- 6917 W. Bergen Road, Bergen (585) 343-6284

AUGUST

Aug. 5 at 9 a.m. -- City Church (St. Anthony’s)— 14 Liberty St., Batavia, (585) 343-6895

Aug. 12 at 9 a.m. -- Oakfield-Alabama CSD -- 7001 Lewiston Road, Oakfield (585) 948-5211

Aug. 19 at 3 p.m. -- Byron-Bergen High School -- 6917 W. Bergen Road, Bergen (585) 343-6284

Aug. 26 at 9 a.m. -- Northgate Free Methodist Church -- 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia (585) 343-6284

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 2 at 9 a.m. -- City Church (St. Anthony’s)— 114 Liberty St., Batavia (585) 343-6895

Northgate church food distribution: one person per vehicle, must show ID for each household

By Billie Owens

As reported yesterday, The Salvation Army, along with FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate Free Methodist Church -- North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia) beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22.

Subsequently, Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified information for picking up donated food.

At the request of FoodLink, the agency working in partnership with The Salvation Army and Northgate church, there should be only one PERSON per vehicle, not family per vehicle, if possible.

The driver needs to show valid ID for proof of residency. If you need to pick up for an additional household, you will need to provide an ID from the head of that household as well as your own.

"There can be no exceptions to the ID rule," Rapp said.

Food distribution will be done on a “drive thru” basis to insure social distancing and proper hygiene.

Residents are asked to pull into the church lot and go around the back of the building via the north side.

Volunteers kindly ask that your vehicle's trunk, cargo area or truck bed is empty, as they will not be permitted to rearrange items for you.

Pull up to the pallets and volunteers will load the items for you. This will continue until all the food is gone.

Please arrive no earlier than 9 a.m.

For more information, please visit northgatefmc.com or call (585) 343-4011.

Also be aware that local The Salvation Army has exhausted food supplies for the Emergency Pantry due to a surge in demand.

So Northgate church is holding an ongoing food drive to stock the pantry each Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during "New York on PAUSE" due to the coronavirus pandemic starting this Monday, April 20.

And The Salvation Army is also continuing to accept donations at their headquarters at 529 E. Main St. in Batavia on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

The Salvation Army NEEDS:

  • Canned meats
  • Peanut butter and jelly
  • Soups and chili in cans
  • Pastas and pasta sauce
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Breakfast items
  • Snack items for kids
  • Shelf-stable milk

UPDATED: Ongoing food drives planned in Batavia during pandemic as need soars

By Billie Owens

*UPDATE 11:15 a.m., Saturday, April 18: Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified this press release today by saying there should only be one PERSON per household in a vehicle when picking up donated food. You must provide ID. If the driver is picking up food for another household, too, the driver must present an ID for that head of houehold as well.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Salvation Army of Batavia usually helps two to three families obtain meals, three times a week. Currently they are caring for 25-40 families. Their supplies are exhausted.

Northgate Free Methodist Church will be hosting a food drive to support The Salvation Army each Monday during "New York on PAUSE." Please drop off food donations at Northgate North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road), Mondays during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Salvation Army is also continuing to accept donations at their headquarters at 529 E. Main St. in Batavia on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Salvation Army NEEDS:

  • Canned meats
  • Peanut butter and jelly
  • Soups and chili in cans
  • Pastas and pasta sauce
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Breakfast items
  • Snack items for kids
  • Shelf-stable milk

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

Wednesday, April 22, beginning at 9 a.m., The Salvation Army, along with FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia).

This will be done as a “drive thru” distribution to insure social distancing and proper hygiene.

Residents are asked to pull into the church lot and go around the back of the building via the north side. You will be required to show a valid form of ID to show residency and FoodLink is requesting ONE family person per vehicle.*

Volunteers kindly ask that your vehicle's trunk, cargo area or truck bed is empty, as they will not be permitted to rearrange items for you.

Pull up to the pallets and volunteers will load the items for you. This will continue until all the food is gone.

Please arrive no earlier than 9 a.m.

For more information, please visit northgatefmc.com or call (585) 343-4011.

In a time where we are being asked to remain apart, let’s do what we can to help those who are in need right now. 

More than 600 local families aided by Batavia food distribution efforts

By Billie Owens


Submitted photos and press release:

In response to the significant increase in need for food, The Salvation Army in conjunction with Northgate Free Methodist Church and FoodLink held major food distributions on the grounds of the church in Batavia.

These took place on Friday March 27th and again today, April 1st. Well over 600 families were assisted in this effort.

Volunteers from four area churches and several community groups assisted in handing out urgently needed food supplies.

The food items included milk, fresh produce, cheese and dry goods. Items were provided by area church food drives, Star Growers and FoodLink.

“None of this would have been possible without the help of the amazing volunteers," said Todd Rapp director of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army here in Batavia. "They went above and beyond.”

The Salvation Army has been active in Batavia since 1865 and they intend to be here as long as possible through this crisis.

“As long as we have access to food, we will be getting it out there,” Rapp said.

Mark Logan of Northgate said the church will do all it can to support this effort.

In order to keep abreast of future distributions go to The Salvation Army Batavia NY on Facebook and “like” the page. Announcements will also be made through The Batavian.

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