Through the Helpful Harvest Grant Round, supported by the Helpful Harvest Fund, the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties awarded over $106,000 to 44 human service organizations including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and others to help alleviate food insecurity and support increased need around the holiday season and colder months.

This year’s recipients received grants ranging from $1,975 to $2,975:

“The holidays are especially hard on many of our guests who have lost family members or are disconnected from them,” said Celia Bogan, executive director of Hope House. “The cold weather keeps a lot of people home, but those who make the trek here are hurting far more now than in the summer. The grant from the Helpful Harvest Fund allows us to make the holidays special, both for those who would be alone otherwise and for those who consider Hope House a part of their family.”

“The Rome Rescue Mission is deeply grateful for our generous, supportive community,” said Lisa Patierno, executive director of Rome Rescue Mission. “To help foster hope and joy during the holiday season, we serve traditional holiday meals, provide take-out, and deliver over 1,000 meals to shut-ins on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Helpful Harvest grant enables the Rome Rescue Mission to make the holidays special for those who might otherwise have nothing to celebrate.”

The Helpful Harvest Fund was established in 2022 to combat the clear rise in resident needs surrounding food insecurity, particularly around the holidays. Since inception, more than $393,000 has been awarded from the fund, which includes grants directly from donor funds at the Community Foundation.

Food insecurity remains a serious challenge in our region, and the Community Foundation recognizes the importance of ensuring that all residents have access to healthy, reliable food sources. While this year’s Helpful Harvest grants have provided vital resources to organizations across the region, the need for assistance remains high. If you’d like to support the dedicated nonprofits working directly to address food insecurity, please visit foundationhoc.org/food to view donation options that are available.