Food bank volunteer opportunities near Albany

Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Albany using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

FOCUS Winter Breakfast Program (morning soup kitchen)
- Organization: FOCUS Churches of Albany
- Read more on website

Pantry Delivery Drive - Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region
- Organization: Hunger Free America
- Read more on website

BackPack Weekend Meals Program (Fridays, 7:30am-8:30am and 8:30am-9:00am)
- Organization: Idealist.org
- Dates: Oct 18 to Jun 21
- Read more on website

BackPack Program (Fridays, 7:30am-9:00am)
- Organization: Connect Center
- Read more on website

Help Us Support Families with Extra Food!
- Organization: Commission on Economic Opportunity for the Greater Capital Region
- Date: Dec 19
- Read more on website

Winter Market Volunteers
- Organization: SCHENECTADY GREENMARKET INC
- Read more on website

Fight Hunger by Volunteering at the Farm!
- Organization: Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
- Read more on website

Christmas Kettle Bell-Ringers
- Organization: The Salvation Army Schenectady Citadel
- Read more on website

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.