A food pantry staff member helps a client with his selections.

Image by USDA

Visit our Food Pantry links for daily pantries & meal sites in Chautauqua County.

Use your SNAP benefits EBT card to pay at grocery stores and farmers' markets.

A group of children have lunch in the school cafeteria.

Image by USDA

The National School Lunch Program provides healthy, low-cost or free meals each school day.

Your EBT/Food Stamp/SNAP card is welcome at a farmers' market near you!

Food Assistance Programs

Making ends meet during difficult times can be easier with help from the right programs and other community resources. Cornell Cooperative Extension works with many local food assistance programs to help families, individuals and seniors find and access food resources that best meet their needs.

Local Programs:

Daily Food Pantries & Community Meals - Enter your address on the Food Bank of WNY website and find the pantry nearest your home, or visit their Pantry listings online

State & National Programs:

MyBenefits.Gov - New York State residents can visit this web site to find out if you are eligible for help through SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Nutrition Education, Temporary Assistance, HEAP, WIC, School Meals and Summer Meal Programs.

SNAP / (formerly Food Stamp) benefits help low-income working people, seniors, the disabled and others feed their families. The USDA’s SNAP-Ed connection web site provides great tips and resources. Choose from: Healthy Eating on a Budget, 10 Steps to Help fill your grocery bag, Ways to Manage Your Food Dollars and MORE at: http://snap.nal.usda.gov/resource-library/eat-right-when-moneys-tight .

The SNAP-to-Market website helps you find NY Farmers' Markets where you can use your SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps) and explains how to make Farmers' Market purchases with them. You'll also find information on when fruits and vegetables are in-season at your market, and recipes to use with produce you buy.

WIC - the Women, Infants & Children’s Supplemental Food Program provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to community services for low-income pregnant and post-partum women and their children under five years of age. Breastfeeding support is available. Find out if you are eligible for WIC, see a schedule of monthly WIC clinics in locations around Tompkins County, and other WIC resources on this website. Tompkins County Health Department, 55 Brown Road, Ithaca, New York 14850

Our educational program series and lessons help families and households to stretch their food dollars to make healthier choices and eat better for less! Our Eat Smart New York! Program helps individuals and families who have limited resources to gain the knowledge and skills to make healthier food and activity choices.

Last updated October 2, 2024