The Food-A-Bago Food Drive is back for 2025 from Monday, November 3 to Monday, November 10, and once again, we’re rolling into the Weis Markets parking lot on Upper Front Street in Binghamton to collect non-perishable donations for Broome County CHOW.
You’ve probably heard us say this before, but it’s worth repeating, CHOW can stretch one single dollar into five complete meals. It’s truly incredible and while food is always needed, there are a few other items CHOW wishes they had on hand… things most of us don’t usually think to donate.
CHOW Supports More Than Just Hunger
I was talking with my friend Les, who runs the CHOW Warehouse, and he reminded me that CHOW isn’t just feeding people, they’re helping them survive. Yes, they provide groceries to families all across our community and beyond, but they also hand out personal care essentials and basic household items to people who are starting over, struggling, or simply trying to get through one more hard day. Sometimes the most meaningful donation in addition to food is a toothbrush, a warm pair of socks, or a bar of soap.
READ MORE: Broome County Deserves Better: No One Should Go to Bed Hungry
Where and When to Drop Off Donations
We’ll be camped out in the RV November 3 to November 10 in the Weis Markets parking lot at 1290 Upper Front Street in Binghamton. Swing by, say hello, and drop off whatever you can, even one item makes a difference.
Don’t Forget the Non-Food Essentials, Too
When you’re out picking up items for the food drive, think about tossing a few non-food essentials into your cart, too. These are things CHOW rarely receives but constantly runs out of. Scroll down because we’ve put together a gallery of the most-needed non-food items that make a huge impact but are often overlooked.
Deoderant
If you had to pick between finding something to eat or putting on deodorant, which would you pick? How great would it be to get a box of food and find some deodorant in it?
Toilet Paper
Remember how hard it was for you to find toilet paper earlier this year? Remember how the price of toilet paper jacked up? Enough said.
Shampoo and Conditioner
I remember when I was a teen and our family struggled and would often get boxes of food from our local pantry and one time there was a bottle of Pantene shampoo. Pantene was so out of our budget that I never imagined I’d ever get to use it. Washing my hair with that bottle of shampoo made me feel so incredible inside. If you’re going to pick up some shampoo and conditioner, consider grabbing some bars of soap, too!
Can Openers
Not all cans come with a pull tab and a lot of people who benefit from food pantries don’t have a can opener of their own.
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Personal dental care comes in second to making sure your kids have food in their bellies.
Nail Clippers
Sure, nail clippers are a frivolous item, but they’re so inexpensive and there’s something about freshly clipped nails that feels really nice.
Band-Aids
My family was very poor when I was growing up and there were times we’d get hurt and my mom would make a Band-Aid out of toilet paper and scotch tape. Finding a box of Band-Aids in our box from the food pantry would have been incredible.
Socks
A lot of people who turn to CHOW for help with food don’t have the means to buy themselves socks to keep their feet warm during the cold months. Adult and kid sized socks are so appreciated.
Diapers
Research has shown that babies who don’t have clean diapers are more likely to be exposed to health risks and anyone who has had a baby knows that diapers can be quite expensive for someone with a decent income. Now, imagine someone who has no income and the impact of not being able to afford diapers for their baby could have on the innocent little one. The same could be said for adults with incontinence problems.
Baby Food and Formula
There is a DIRE need for baby food and formula. If a store sells it and its something a baby or infant can eat, CHOW will accept it. If possible, please stay away from purchasing glass jars though as these can easily break and then the food goes to waste.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Can you even imagine what it must be like for so many women in our community who have to make the decision between buying food for their babies and the hygiene products she needs? A package of hygiene products can literally turn around a woman’s day and empower her.
Read More: In Addition to Food, CHOW Could Really Use These 11 Items | https://cnynews.com/ixp/498/p/broome-county-chow-food-drive/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
