County Officials Help With Food Needs

By Chris English

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — A kind of mobile food pantry unfolded in Schoharie County recently, thanks to the efforts of some county officials and community members.

The effort was praised at the Friday, Nov. 21 Board of Supervisors meeting. According to county Health Department Director Dr. Nicole Blanchard, some county residents took part in two recent free drive-thru grocery distribution events, hosted by the Schoharie Community Hub.

All food was donated by local farmers, businesses and community members, Blanchard wrote in an email to this newspaper. Organized by the county Department of Health in partnership with Community Mental Hygiene Services, Veterans Services, Department of Social Services, Office For The Aging and Public Transportation, the events aimed to support local residents by offering pre-bagged groceries and fresh produce with one bag available per household.

"This is about showing up for our neighbors," Blanchard stated. "Whether you're facing food insecurity or simply need a little extra support this season, we're here to help, no questions asked."

Schoharie County Agricultural Development Specialist Caroline Myran added that county departments have been working together recently to address the increased demand for food given the Federal shutdown and SNAP benefit changes, the delay in HEAP (heating assistance) and the rising cost of food due to inflation.

"Pantries are seeing bigger demand for services than ever before, even once SNAP was reinstated," Myran wrote in an email. "They're also seeing new faces who had never come to their pantries before."

Among those contributing produce, meat and eggs were Van Dale Farms, Parson's Farm, Will-a-way Farm, Wild Tomato Farm, Hop and Hammer Farm, Schoharie Valley Farms and Fox Creek Farm, she noted. In addition, Schoharie County Democrats recently ran a food drive and collected more than a thousand pounds of food to donate to the county's mobile food pantry and Cobleskill Methodist Church pantry, Myran added.

In other news from the Nov. 21 county BOS meeting, the board approved dividing up $498,256 in third-quarter sales tax revenue to the various towns and villages across the county. The board also appointed Colleen Quirian, Susan Emerson, Kimberly Charboneau and Constance Burroughs to terms on the Schoharie County Community Services Board expiring at the end of the year.

John Leavitt, Joanne Darcy Crum and Gerald Wright were appointed to terms on the Records Advisory Board starting Jan. 1, 2026 and expiring Dec. 31, 2027. Also approved was a resolution in support of Congressman Nick Langworthy's Energy Choice Act and in Opposition to New York State government-mandated natural gas bans.