Be the Change Spotlight: Comfort Food Community
by Natalie Criscione
If you spend time north of Albany, perhaps you’ve heard of Comfort Food Community. Perhaps you’ve run across one of their food pantries or seen one of their vans making deliveries; perhaps you’ve come across them at one of the many libraries or schools to which they provide healthy foods and access to resources and educational materials. Perhaps you’ve visited their website where you can find hundreds of simple, delicious, and healthy recipes provided by their Community Health Team. Perhaps you are already one of their nearly 100 dedicated volunteers who staff pantries, drive vans, harvest foods from regional farms, and package dinners.
Comfort Food Community is one of Honest Weight’s Be the Change recipients for the month of April. This non-profit organization focuses on fighting hunger in rural areas of Warren, Washington, Saratoga, and Rensselaer Counties. Through innovative approaches they not only seek to provide people with the food they need, but also address the many challenges that accompany such needs. “We really try to meet people where they’re at,” says Laura Marx, the Executive Director. In addition to meeting food insecurity needs of residents in rural counties, “we are also available as a resource to help people navigate challenges, so if there is something else they need, like getting their heat turned on or transportation, we can help.”
Marx has been involved in non-profit leadership throughout her career and has been with Comfort Food Community for nearly 2 years. With programs that include providing access to food, recovering food, and promoting healthy-food educational programs, their reach is broad and, as Marx says, “..fresh and nutritious food is our priority area.” With cuts to federal food assistance programs and an ever increasing need, the challenges are great. “Pantry use has increased about 20% each year since Covid,” says Marx. In 2024 alone, Comfort Food Community distributed over 1 million pounds of food and served more than 70,000 individuals, and those numbers are growing.
Besides managing multiple food pantries, Comfort Food Community brings food to safe public spaces such as libraries and schools through their “Farm 2 Library” and “Farm 2 School” programs to meet growing needs.
Additionally, says Marx, they assist in reducing food waste through their collaboration with local farms where they provide “on-farm gleaning,” which, in addition to food, provides hands-on educational experiences for all who participate. Through partnerships with retail stores such as BJ’s, Walmart, Hannaford, and ALDI, Comfort Food Community is able to recover fresh produce and baked goods that, though no longer sellable in the retail environment, still have nutritional value. “While we see the need go up,” says Marx, “we try to meet the need in many ways…we know we can’t do it alone.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Comfort Food Community, their website, comfortfoodcommunity.org, provides information about how you might donate, participate in sponsorship, or volunteer. Upcoming fundraising events include the “Give Hunger the Boot” campaign which includes the ever popular “Cow Pie Bingo” game, and July’s Legacy of Impact event held annually at Saratoga National. Finally, says Marx, “We are always happy to collaborate…if anyone is interested in a ‘Farm 2 Library’ program or any of our other programs, we would be happy to share information.”
Remember, every time you make a purchase at Honest Weight, you have the opportunity to round up to the nearest dollar for the given month’s Be the Change recipients. Through your generous contributions, non-profit organizations like Comfort Food Community are provided with funds that not only help them with their mission but make our region stronger and healthier.