Charles H. Bassett Youth Foundation leads Food Drive for Tioga County Rural Ministry 

The Charles H. Bassett Youth Foundation (CHBYF) student board members are leading a food drive Oct. 3 through Oct. 22 to benefit Tioga County Rural Ministry (TCRM). They are partnering with Owego Free Academy Key Club and Interact members to collect at the high school and will also have a collection site at Coburn Free Library on Main Street. The library is supporting CHBYF’s efforts as an extension of “The Great Give Back” community program they are sponsoring in October. 

TCRM serves Owego families in need, five days a week. Families do not need to meet any income requirements. TCRM has specifically requested donations of high-need items such as high protein soups, pork and beans; tomato products and low sugar cereals, but welcomes all donations. 

CHBYF student board members, Sullivan O’Donnell and Graham T. Strolin, are undertaking this project as a follow up to the Points of Light Foundation youth leadership training they completed earlier this year in Alaska. O’Donnell and Strolin identified food insecurity as a local issue they could positively impact with the help of their community. 

“More than 10% of American households experienced food insecurity in 2021,” said Strolin, adding, “In Tioga County, more than 20% of kids are food insecure. Food insecurity makes it hard for kids to do well in school and graduate. We hope that by bringing awareness to this topic, more people will donate to Tioga County Rural Ministry food pantry so that more Owego families can live without hunger.”