Canton, NY, Mar 08, 2013 — Bluesman Rick Bates (aka Tas Cru) and singer/songwriter Mary Ann Casale are hosting a series of concerts this spring that will benefit St. Lawrence County food pantries. The "RE-stock" series kicks off tonight with a house concert at Robin McCellan's home in Sandfordville.

Mary Ann and Rick joined us in the studio this morning, during The Eight O'clock Hour, to share their unique blend of folk/blues Americana born out of their shared experiences as young musicians when they met in Potsdam nearly 30 years ago.  Go to full article

Paul Smiths, NY, Aug 30, 2012 — We use buckwheat flour for many of the same purposes as wheat flour, but the plants they originate from are not even closely related. And that's a good thing for people who suffer from gluten allergies.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 23, 2012 — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich intends it as an insult when he calls President Obama, the "food-stamp President." New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo seems not to fear being called the food stamp governor; he's proposing ways that more New Yorkers in need can access the federal program. Karen DeWitt has this report from Albany.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Aug 16, 2010 — You've eaten, canned and maybe dried vegetables from the garden this summer, and it's still producing plenty of fresh produce. Sometimes this extra bounty is wasted, left to rot on the plant or picked and left on the kitchen counter until it's too late. Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about ways to donate excess veggies from the garden to a local food bank, soup kitchen or community center.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, May 18, 2010 — These are challenging times for people who run school lunch programs. A national TV show this spring took on the school food system.

Leaders in Washington are debating how much money the country should spend on childhood nutrition. And new concerns about nutrition are an eerie echo of the origins of the public school lunch. Julie Grant reports.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 16, 2010 — St. Lawrence University students are fighting hunger by recycling food from campus dining halls. As part of the "Campus Kitchens" program, food that would otherwise be wasted is used to provide free community meals. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 03, 2010 — Three students at the Little River Community School, near Canton, are collecting food donations this week, and learning more about families in need. As part of a social action lesson, the students are in the midst of collecting canned goods to donate to Canton and Potsdam food shelves. They told Todd Moe that the goal is to help keep local food shelves stocked this winter, and give back to their community.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Jan 04, 2010 — Chef George Arnold of SUNY Potsdam was cooking, live, in our kitchen this morning. He showed Martha Foley how to make a quick, easy Welsh rarebit. And his source? An old "New Treasury of Christmas Recipes" put out by food manufacturers for an age when "scratch-plus" was the rule: recipes that drew on staples of the 50s and 60s pantry. In this case, mayonnaise. Fabulous! (George Arnold is director of dining services at SUNY Potsdam.)  Go to full article

Syracuse, NY, Dec 10, 2009 — As the unemployment rate in much of the North Country remains just under 10%, more families are struggling to put food on the table. Thousands of people live with food insecurity - that means at some point, they don't know where their next meal will come from. Demand at the region's food pantries and kitchens is up. But the Food Bank of Central NY says it's been planning for this kind of crisis for years, and it's still ready and able to fill the demand. Todd Moe and David Sommerstein revisit a story from 2008.  Go to full article

Nov 26, 2008 — The economic recession is already hitting the North Country hard. St. Lawrence County has the highest unemployment rate outside of New York City. Layoffs and budget cuts across the region are forcing more people to food pantries and soup kitchens to feed their families. And it hasn't even gotten really cold yet. Food banks are reporting an increase in demand of anywhere from 10 to 50%. The Food Bank of Central New York sends millions of pounds of food to 47 pantries and soup kitchens in St. Lawrence, Lewis and Jefferson counties. It's been preparing for years for tough times like these. Now the system believes it's ready. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article