The Bath VA Medical Center celebrated the opening of a new food pantry dedicated to veterans, marking a significant step in addressing food insecurity among those who have served in the military. Initiated in 2017, the project came to fruition with the help of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, which donated over 25,000 pounds of food. On its opening day, the pantry provided assistance to more than 150 veterans, highlighting the critical need for such services.
Statistics from Feeding America reveal that 1 in 9 working-age veterans faces food insecurity, a situation exacerbated among active-duty service members, 24% of whom were food insecure in 2020. This pantry aims to alleviate these challenges by offering free access to nutritious food for veterans on the first and third Friday of each month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Bath VA encourages donations to support the pantry’s operations, with contributions accepted through the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and the VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement. For more information or to make a donation, interested parties can contact Mary Harkin, CDCE Specialist, underscoring the community’s role in supporting veterans’ wellbeing.
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