February 4, 2025 – Who says food is not beautiful? Barbara has been working on this gorgeous quilt for OCS for months. First we saw a block with corn and each individual niblet was hand stitched. Then the yellow squash with all its blossoms. You REALLY have to see the cauliflower with its felted surface!! And today she brought the whole thing before it is backed and quilted. I don’t have adequate words for the gratitude I feel, and the amazement–she planned, stitched, appliqued and will now complete this beautiful celebration of fresh garden vegetables that will ultimately hang in our conference room. Every time someone walks by and looks in–it will be hanging as a testament that every gift has its place and that we believe nutritious food is a right for our neighbors, not a privilege. Yes. Food IS beautiful. (Note: Barbara is also a Pantry volunteer!!)
January 6, 2025 – Today we had the blessing of meeting with Carol Drummond from Episcopal Charities of the Diocese of Albany. We have applied for a grant from them to help us move forward with our construction and Carol came out as a representative to see One Church Street and to find out more about our Food is Medicine program, our NOAH program and the Pantry–all programs that nourish our neighbors! Thanks for taking the drive Carol!!!
December 22, 2024 – What are you doing on a Sunday afternoon?? Bryan is installing a new floor in our loading dock area at One Church Street. All materials were donated by Ruby and Quiri and Bryan has decided to give up some of his weekend time in order to get this done for us. Talk about a Christmas gift! Thank you Bryan and Ruby & Quiri !!!
December 12, 2024 – Adirondack Food Network System Roundtable – Happening now….Round table conversation and tour of OCS with Adirondack Food System network and stakeholders. So exciting!!
December 3, 2024 – OCS gives to our community!! 200 nourishing breakfasts we’re shared with our neighbors and it took just about an hour! Thanks to Fage USA Dairy Industry Inc and Antonucci’s Wholesale Produce for the yogurt and apples!! !!! Thanks to Mike (Santa Mike), Tom and Nancy for braving the cold and the traffic!!! GivingTuesday –give to what you love.
November 5, 2024 – The Beer, Wine and Chocolate Tasting, a fundraiser for NOAH and the Johnstown Food Pantry, was held last Friday, Nov. 1. There was wine. There was beer. There was chocolate. There were raffle baskets. There was music. There were people in attendance supporting great and meaningful programs that help those food insecure in our community. Thank you to all our donors, volunteers, the Litt Hour Band, and participants for a wonderful evening.
October 15, 2024 – Welcome P-Tech Students Jay, Allison, Marissa, Kylie, Timothy and Zakery. These wonderful students came to volunteer at the food pantry last Wednesday, taking on a multitude of jobs from breaking down boxes to filling orders to helping our guests out with their bags of groceries. In return, they learned about Nourishing our Neighbors through offering healthy choices. Each student is pursuing a career through the P-Tech program and we got to chat a little about their choices as well. (Thanks to Jen Sponnable, School Counselor and Alex Ruggeri, Communications) The food pantry is open on Wednesdays from 9-12 and on Saturday from 10-12. Saturday volunteers are always needed and welcome!
August 28, 2024 – And it is official – we will partner with a Lexington work team as they become our official cleaning crew at One Church Street! We are so pleased that our desire to become a center for resources in the community allows us to work with and promote the good work that Lexington provides. Can’t wait to meet the team!!!
August 28, 2024 – The pics below are images from yesterday – Food Pantry delivery day. I nearly swoon when I see so many fresh veggies come out of the van, thanks to Kristina and her mom, who went to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York yesterday. But it is hard work loading, unloading and putting all this on shelves.
By the end of today, shelves will be empty again but our guests will have nutritious foods to share with their families. Approximately one ton of food per week arrives, is unloaded by volunteers, and heads home with our guests.
And have you ever heard of Super Milk? That container needs a cape!!!
August 24, 2024 – We’re here at Harmony of Art 2 and giving away free tomatoes and peaches!! One Church Street – nourishing our neighbor!!
Today was a GREAT day. Tiring, but I met so many new friends. When you are willing to give away free gifts, to engage, to teach, you cannot imagine how many people are delighted by a free peach or a cup of tiny tomatoes. And then, one man went to a local orchard and came back with a bag of apples for us to give away because he was so impressed with our desire to share with others. And yes – we gave it ALL away. Special thanks to Barbara and Dan Cameron. They have been the best helpers two years in a row and they were such a blessing to me today.
August 22, 2024 – What an extraordinary night of gathering friends, families, volunteers, supporters and folks who are just learning about OCS!! We are grateful to Union Hall Inn Restaurant, Caroga Arts Collective, Marissa Mae’s Confections LLC, and our sponsors John and Sunday Blackmon. It felt like a family reunion in the best way!
August 13, 2024 – We were also privileged to give a tour to some special NBT visitors today. Our Treasurer, Billy Easterly (Asst VP and Branch Manager here in J’town) and Alicia Brockway (VP and Business Banking Regional Manager) came through the building on their way to a meeting, and I was able to show them the whole building. Alicia was impressed by our hard work, fundraising and by the beauty of our renovated facility. We were impressed that they came to see us! Don’t they both have great smiles? i guess that’s just how people feel when they walk through this building and realize how hard we are working to nourish our neighbors. Thanks, NBT!!
August 13, 2024 – How much Good News? Hmmmm….how much time do you have?
Pic 3: Rick rolls in some of the MANY cartons of food and veggies that will be given away tomorrow. A team of 8 volunteers helped unpack and stock shelves for our neighbors tomorrow. Brilliant idea to purchase those dollies, Rick!
August 5, 2024 – Today was a full day – or was it a day-full…a day FULL of gratitude and celebration with our community for our grand Ribbon Cutting of OCS, to Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce, to the Brown family, especially Dee and Dick Brown, to our Steering Committee, Sunday and John Blackmon, representatives from our elected officials (Assemblyman Smullen, Senator Walczyk, Congresswoman Stefanik), and to our Johnstown Mayor, Amy Praught – forgive me if I have missed you or your name! We are FULL of gratitude and excitement because of your generosity and support. Look for more good news ahead! (There’s always more good news, right?)
The certificate from the City of Johnstown that literally made me tear up. It meant so much to be supported by our community – thanks to Mayor Praught and the City Council for being present today to help launch us!
See! Someone likes the video game! Go Declan!
The Ribbon Cutting ceremony.
August 3, 2024 – Vinnie gets it. He understands that not everyone who comes to the Pantry is an adult. He understands that families come in together to get the food they need. But does it have to be a chore? Well, today Vinnie from Toying Around called me and said he had a ‘heavy gift’ for OCS. Gold bars? Bags of coins? Nope. A child-sized arcade game for the little ones who end up waiting while mom or dad or grandma get the food they need. Vinnie also pointed out that it is reminiscent of the old Y that had a pool table and other games for kids to play. Thanks for really thinking about our neighbors, Vinnie, and thanks for being such a Superhero to us.
July 31, 2024 – This is what I’m talking about! We’re home!
July 27, 2024 – FIRST DAY!! Thanks to our dedicated Pantry volunteers. And thanks to the gentleman who brought all those fresh cucumbers to give away. (Favorite cucumber recipe?)
One Church Street 