Catherine’s Cupboard Food Pantry was established in 2002 when what is now known as St. Francis of Assisi Parish was called St. Catherine’s Parish. Our parish saw a need in the Chenango Bridge/Binghamton  community for a food pantry. That first food distribution day saw only 2 people. Today, we see anywhere from 50—70+ families each time we are open. The mission has always been to help those in our local community who struggle to make ends meet, by providing grocery and personal care items. With this goal in mind we serve anyone who stops in, asking only for ID if they have any. As members of the SOUTHERN TIER FOOD BANK, we  purchase at wholesale or less, providing basic dry or canned goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, plus dairy and    frozen meats. We operate 100% on donations and grants and currently have a budget of $50,000/year which is  difficult to manage with the rising cost of food and the increased need in our community. According to the USDA, the average cost of groceries  in the U.S. for a family of 4 is about $968/month. In comparison, our $50,000 budget only allows us to give $74 worth of groceries per month for each family (~8% of the  national average family budget). Fortunately, St. Francis of Assisi provides us space in the Parish Center and covers the cost of heat and electricity so we can focus on pantry costs and not overhead. Over the years we have helped those who had lost their jobs, those who have come to this  country fleeing violence, those who are disabled, those who are elderly, families who have lost their breadwinner, and so on. We're here for those who need us!