New food pantry opens in Mont Pleasant Monday

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- A new food pantry is opening in Mont Pleasant on Monday, July 29, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. at the Holy Name of Jesus Church, 1040 Pearl Street. The Daily Bread Food Pantry will celebrate its opening with a cookout at the church. In an effort to find solutions to reduce food insecurity in Schenectady, the Luken Daily Bread Food Pantry partnered with Schenectady Shares, Concerned for the Hungry and Holy Name of Jesus to create this new pantry.

"Already in 2024, we have been experiencing at least a 40% increase in the number of guests we are seeing, over the same period in 2023," Jacqueline Clute, volunteer director of the Daily Bread pantry said in a statement. "We have served over 12,000 guests already in 2024 and are thankful for the support we are receiving from all our partners to launch the new pantry."

The Daily Bread Food Pantry will be open every Monday from 3-6 p.m. Rev. James Konicki said the pantry will help those in need.

"All of us at Holy Name of Jesus are looking forward to welcoming guests of the new pantry," Konicki said. "It is a wonderful ministry to those in need in our Mont Pleasant community."

Funding for the pantry came from Schenectady Shares, grants from Concerned for the Hungry, the Rotary Club of Schenectady Foundation and the Carlilian Foundation. The grants were used to purchase necessary equipment, including a refrigerator, freezer and food items.

The pantry is looking for more volunteers to help with their mission. To learn more about how to get involved or what services the pantry provides, call (518) 347-1385, email sldailybreadfoodpantry@gmail.com or visit their website, https://www.stlukesschenectady.org/food-pantry-urban-ministry/.

To see where other food pantries are in Schenectady or in the state, visit www.foodpantries.org.