Nutrition Coalition Asks To Balance Your Food Donations

Submitted Article

FULTON, NY – With the holidays fast approaching, the Nutrition Coalition of Oswego County is working to ensure that area food pantries have their shelves stocked with a selection of healthy well-balanced food items.

Comprised of representatives from Catholic Charities of Oswego County, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Food Bank of CNY, Human Concerns, OCO, the Oswego County Child Care Council, Oswego County OFA, and the United Way of Greater Oswego County, the mission of the Nutrition Coalition is to promote nutrition and wellness and prevent hunger in Oswego County.

Nutrition Coalition of Oswego County members Judy Egan (left) and Helen Hoefer of Catholic Charities of Oswego County display the USDA MyPyramid at the food pantry at Catholic Charities.

Many families in Oswego County are living with limited financial resources.

Donations of healthy foods to local food pantries are important as they allow recipients access to foods necessary for a nutritious diet.

When choosing foods items for a food donation the Nutrition Coalition suggests that donors follow the USDA’s MyPyramid and choose shelf-stable foods such as meat & beans, vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products that provide maximum nutrition from each food group.

To assist in that effort the Nutrition Coalition has distributed flyers to area grocers for displaying within their store.

While local food pantries appreciate each and every donation they receive, the goal of the Nutrition Coalition is to help encourage a better balance of donated food items so that pantries can avoid having an abundance of the same type of food and provide a more nutritious selection of food items to its consumers.

“We are thankful for the donations that we receive from the community,” said Judy Egan, coordinator of the Emergency Services Program at Catholic Charities of Oswego County.  “Members of the Nutrition Coalition are working collaboratively to help encourage our supporters to donate a more balanced assortment of food items so that our pantries can avoid having an abundance of the same type of food and provide a more nutritious selection of food items to our consumers.  With the holidays approaching and the need for food subsidy increasing, it is important that caring individuals, organizations and businesses come forward to help those less fortunate by donating generously to our food pantries and help us to continue our mission of helping families in need.”

For more information on the Nutrition Coalition or if you would like to make a donation to one of Oswego County’s local food pantries, contact Egan at 598-3980.

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