Out of an abundance of concern, Gowanda Central School District is sharing resources to support all affected by the loss of SNAP funding and other forms of assistance during the federal government shutdown. This page will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Area residents experiencing food insecurity are encouraged to reach out to local food programs and community partners for support, including:
- Gowanda Food Pantry, 24 W. Main Street, Gowanda, NY. Call 1-716-532-6130 for more information.
- The Food Pantry at The Master’s Plan Community Church, 9586 Railroad Street, Dayton, NY. Call 1-716-725-9229 for more information.
- Love Inc., 15 W. Main Street, Gowanda, NY. Call 1-716-532-3541 for more information.
- The Connecting Communities in Action (CCA) Mobile Food Pantry. Call 1-716-945-1041 or email info@ccaction.org
- Pantry Finder: This tool can be used to direct families in need to their closest food pantry: https://www.feedmorewny.org/programs-services/find-food/pantry-locator/
- The Seneca Nation’s Emergency Food program is reachable at 716-532-1028.
FREE LOCAL MEALS:
- Gowanda Free Methodist Church is serving a free meal on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 5-8 p.m.
- Trinity United Church of Christ, at Erie Avenue and Park Street in Gowanda, is serving a free takeout-only community meal on Saturday, November 8, 2025, starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 6 p.m. or until the food is gone.
- St. Joe’s Church, 26 Erie Avenue, Gowanda, is offering a free meal on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 4-6 p.m.
- The Gowanda Moose is serving a free dine-in-only meal on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 6 p.m.
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MORE ON SNAP
SNAP households are encouraged to check the latest updates from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance:
- OTDA website: otda.ny.gov/shutdown
- myBenefits: mybenefits.ny.gov
- ebtEDGE app or hotline
If you are in need of food assistance, or are able to donate to a local food pantry, soup kitchen, or other assistance programs, visit 211wny.org to locate a food assistance program near you. In the “Find Resources” section, type “food” and enter your ZIP code, then filter results to show programs within a set number of miles from your location.
For questions about local SNAP case processing or to report urgent food needs, contact the Department of Social Services at (716) 661-8000.