Our Programs and Services
The Food Pantry
Through donations from the churches and community members who support our program along with grants from the Food Bank of Central NY, we are able to provide food to those in need.We receive food from Walmart 
every Monday morning and from the Canton Price Chopper twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our Food Bank of Central NY deliveries are twice a month on Wednesdays.
The Food Pantry is available to local residents who live in our service area (towns and villages of Canton and Hermon, towns of Clare, DeKalb and Russell, and the village of Rensselaer Falls) and have a household income either at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, specified by size of household.
Community members who live in our service area and wish to apply for food assistance are required to come to our office to apply. Each person/family head must provide photo ID and verification of their current address. Once determined eligible, the customer is given food based upon the Food Bank of Central NY point system for food distribution.
We provide meats, fresh produce, dairy, breads, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, tuna fish and peanut butter. Our inventory of meats, fresh produce, dairy and breads is dependent upon weekly Walmart and Price Chopper donations.
The Second Chance Thrift Shop
Everyone is welcome to shop at the Second Chance Thrift Shop. We sell lightly used clothing, shoes and boots for men, women and children in varying sizes and styles. Income from the shop 
supports our other programs, and those who come to us needing help often receive clothing without charge.
We also sell belts, hats, gloves/mittens, jewelry and some bedding. Our inventory is dependent upon what comes into the shop as a donation.
Our clothing racks are regularly refreshed with newly donated items and we celebrate each season with new looks and colors.
The Richard Morrow Emergency Fund
The Board of Representatives of the Church and Community Program established a fund in memory of Richard Morrow, long-serving board 
member and President of the Board 2012 - 2013. This fund was created to celebrate Richard's spirit of generosity and commitment to the needs of people with economic challenges.
With this fund we are able to provide short-term monetary relief for people in crisis when traditional resources from government or other community groups are not available.
Grants are limited to the costs associated with short-term shelter, fuel and utility bills, or a one-time rental fee. Assistance is short-term and households are limited to one allocation from the fund per quarter.
Emergency applicants must come to the office to apply. They need to provide photo ID, verification of their current address and an explanation of their current need, along with specific information about what they have already done to help themselves.
The Giving Tree
In 2020, the Church and Community Giving Tree provided toys, clothing, books and food for nearly 400 children in 141 families from Canton and the 
surrounding Towns of Clare, DeKalb, Hermon and Russell. In spite of Covid, and with your incredible financial help, and many brave volunteers, we kept going in a difficult time. This year we once again gave families PJs and and knitted hats, plus vouchers for food, clothing and toys to keep the holidays special for kids in families in need.
In addition to the financial support of Coakley's Home and Hardware, the Edward Seymour Post of the VFW, and the Walmart Foundation, the Giving Tree was made possible by more than 60 local businesses, organizations and churches. Many individuals worked on all phases of the Giving Tree, from marking tags and placing them in local businesses, sorting gift vouchers, and distributing them to families in need in our community.
Our toys and clothing and food come from generous community members who choose tags from the displays at local businesses and return them to us with their donations. This year we again partnered with Save-A-Lot to provide each family with a $45 food voucher for their holiday meal.
Applications for Giving Tree participation are available starting in mid-September online at this site and from the Church and Community Office, Canton Central School, and the Canton Neighborhood Center. Tags appear in businesses before Thanksgiving, and gift distribution is in early December.
For more information, please contact Giving Tree director, Fran Bailey, at fbailey@clarkson.edu.
The Back to School Program
Besides Christmas, outfitting children with school supplies, clothing and shoes has become the second most expensive yearly endeavor for families. This has been a great burden for families, especially in our county, the second poorest in NYS. We have been able to ease this burden by providing children kindergarten through 12th 
grade many of the supplies they need, allowing them to get the school year off to a positive start.
Families that meet the income guidelines and live in our service area can apply for help. Applications are accepted mid June to August 2 at the Church & Community Program office between 10am and 4pm five days a week, and can be mailed to Church & Community Program, PO Box 55, Canton, NY 13617. The Back to School Program serves three school districts, Canton Central, Hermon-DeKalb, and Edwards-Knox. In 2019 we served 62 families with135 students, and the numbers appear to be increasing each year.
Once the application is completed we consult with the schools on school supplies needed. And again this year, we'll be providing a new pair of good sneakers for each child!
We have one distribution day. It's on a Saturday in August.
Our friends at Midtown Hair Salon give free haircuts to those children who want them. We have a nurse on board to check heads for lice as per state regulations. (We are able to supply free lice kits to families in need of them.) Local dentists supply toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss.
We also partner with the Salvation Army, which helps us provide a backpack for each child. Monetary and supply donations come from many businesses and individuals.
For more information, please contact the Back to School Program director, Pat Sibbitts, at psibbitts@gmail.com.