Building a Stronger Community One Meal at a Time
By Nicki Barnard, Customer Engagement Manager
Girl Scouts and community go hand in hand. From the moment we put on our blue Daisy tunic or complete our adult volunteer orientation, the lens through which we look at the world becomes different—it becomes green.
Our Girl Scout lens helps us see our community's needs. We learn to speak up with a strong and clear voice about the issues that need light in our neighborhoods. In communities big and small across our 26-county footprint, our Girl Scouts do work that’s meaningful to them.
By staying true to our Girl Scout values, our council couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make the communities we serve stronger by working with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.
The Big Ask
In October of 2024, we were approached by the Broome County Food Council to make a big commitment to our local community in Maine, N.Y. The ask was for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways (GSNYPENN) to be part of the Food Access Plan of Broome County by establishing a mobile pantry to help combat food insecurity and lack of access in this part of the county.
According to 2024 Food Bank of the Southern Tier statistics, 29,030 Broome County residents struggle with food insecurity. This includes one in seven adults and one in five children. Feeding America estimates that 700 people are food insecure in the area where our GSNYPENN food pantry is located.
The Next Step
Before committing to this endeavor, we asked permission from our CEO, Julie Dale. Without hesitation, Julie fully supported this collaboration and offered both the use of our Maine office space and monthly staff time to make a difference in our community.
“We are proud to support the local food pantry. We recognize it as a vital resource to ensure all community members have consistent access to nutritious food and dignity during times of need,” she says.
Making a Change
Since December 2024, we’ve been hosting a monthly mobile food pantry. Each month, a flurry of volunteers from the Council of Churches, Rotary, GSNYPENN and other civic organizations arrives at 9 a.m. to greet a tractor of food from the food bank. Rain or shine, volunteers sort food into boxes and bags to load in cars. Our pantry serves veterans, seniors, families with children and anyone who needs a helping hand that month.
Devin McLaughlin, Programs and Partnerships Coordinator for Broome and Tioga Counties, shared with us that the Food Bank of the Southern Tier is grateful for the ongoing collaboration between GSNYPENN and the Broome County Food Council in providing a monthly Mobile Food Pantry in Maine..
“Since launching in late 2024, the Maine Mobile Food Pantry has served approximately 80 households each month, offering nutritious, no-cost food to neighbors in need. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to fighting food insecurity and building stronger, healthier communities through compassionate service,” she/he says.
How To Get Involved
The food pantry located at our Maine Service Center (2626 State Route 26) is open the first Wednesday of the month from 10 to 11 a.m. To sign up for a food box, call 211 between 1 and 4 p.m. the day before or sign up online here.
For more information about volunteering at the pantry, call or text Nicki Barnard at 607.442.6721. Please note that volunteer signup is necessary, and that Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors are invited and encouraged to help in July and August.
