Baldwinsville women raise $2,000 for the VFW Food Pantry

By Sarah Hall

Editor

According to nonprofit organization Feed Our Vets, hunger among elderly veterans is reaching a crisis point.

About 23,000 active-duty military households receive SNAP food stamps benefits, as do 1.5 million veterans. Those numbers don’t include all the vets who shy away from applying for federal benefits; Feed Our Vets says senior vets in particular avoid signing up for SNAP and even deny they need help, so their families often aren’t aware of how little they’re actually eating. The organization says more than 300,000 elderly vets live with food insecurity.

Vets in Baldwinsville are no exception, according to Charleen Gratton, who learned of the issue through her association with Albert Glenn Richardson VFW Post 153 on Salina Street.

“Lots of vets don’t make much money unless they’re ranking officers,” Gratton said. “So I would talk to them and ask, ‘What would help you out?’ And they said the last week of the month is really tough. Things are really tight before they get their next check. So if we could get them some food, it would be a blessing.”

Gratton and then-Post Commander Michael Kline discussed the issue and, 10 years ago, decided to start a food pantry out of the post. Now the pantry delivers bags of food to 25 to 30 vets every month. Some are referred by the VFW itself, while others come through the Syracuse VA Hospital seeking support while they look for a job. Others are referred by other veterans’ organizations, including the Cpl. Kyle R. Schneider Foundation. The pantry is open to vets whether they served overseas or stateside. In addition to providing food, the pantry responds to vets’ other needs, providing clothing when necessary, as well as furniture and pet food.

Gratton said the pantry is the only one in Central New York that only serves veterans. She said it’s important to cater specifically to that population because they very likely wouldn’t accept help from anyone else.

“For example, the Baptist Church does a bread giveaway from Panera Bread every week,” Gratton said. “The vets won’t take bread from the church because they think they’re taking it away from children and families. [The vets] need it just as much as anyone else, but they think they’re taking it away from people who need it more.”

In fact, Gratton said the need among B’ville-area vets has grown in the last few years.

“We’ve got more and more vets coming in,” she said. “The need continues to grow. That’s why we’re reaching out to the community for help.”

The cost of running the pantry each year is $4,000, and Gratton and her staff of volunteers got a big boost earlier this month when a group of women held a fundraiser collecting half that amount.

Terri Ferrigan learned of the pantry from Gratton, who is her dog groomer, and agreed to help with a fundraiser for the organization.

“I was very moved by what this group of volunteers was doing for veterans in our community, and I wanted to help,” said Ferrigan. “I have been involved in other fundraising efforts in our community with Maureen’s Hope Foundation. We recently held a 100 Women 100 Dollars event and raised over $10,000 in three hours. I decided to do a much smaller version of that idea, and asked 100 ladies to bring $5 each.”

Ferrigan’s home on Oswego Street was the last stop on the Nov. 2 BonBons and Boutiques event sponsored by the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce. More than 130 people made their way to her house, allowing her to surpass her original goal of $500—instead collecting $2,000.

“Baldwinsville people are always so generous,” Ferrigan said. “This community is so full of fabulous people.”

While private donations and events are helpful, with the number of vets in need continuing to grow, Gratton and Ferrigan said it would be best if the pantry could find a corporate sponsor to guarantee a steady annual income.

“We are looking for a business to help sponsor the pantry,” Gratton said. “We’re looking for monetary donations. We’re entirely volunteer-run. No one takes a salary. Sometimes it gets to be a struggle, but we’re not giving up because they didn’t.”

Gratton pointed to a recent visit from a family referred to the pantry by Lorie Schneider.

“Last month we had a family, a mom and dad and children. He hadn’t gotten a job yet. They were asking for help,” she said. “So we had this family and we were giving them food as this gentleman was trying to get back on his feet, and a few weeks later, he called us and said he got a job and they didn’t need us anymore. That’s what we’re here for.”

If you are interested in helping the VFW Post No. 153 in Baldwinsville please send an email to Terri at [email protected].