Would you pay $15.50 to get a package of 12 quality meat and grocery items, valued at $25 or more?
The Food Bank of Central New York has the answer. It’s a program called Food $en$e.
Food $en$e is a monthly food distribution program for individuals and families who want help stretching their food budget. There are no income requirements. Everyone is eligible.
“If you eat, you quality,” is the program’s motto, according to Boonville volunteer program coordinator Diane Kilbourne. “People honestly believe this is for low-income families,” she said, “but it’s for anyone.”
It took a great deal of time and effort to get the site at Boonville United Methodist Church site up and running, but it’s been operating successfully since November 2008. At one time, Diane was distributing about 185 food units; recently, however, that number has decreased, putting the program in jeopardy of being closed.
Here’s how it works. People who want to extend their household’s food budget sign up monthly. They pre-pay $15.50 in cash or EBT card for the food package. Later in the month, customers return to the site for their delivery.
Although most families order two to three Food $en$e packages each time, there are no restrictions on the number of packages customers can buy.
What’s in a package? Four to five meat items, such as quality boneless/skinless chicken breasts, beef patties, Italian sausage, and fish fillets.
A variety of staple items are also included. These are usually grain items, such as boxes of spaghetti, long-grain rice, or egg noodles, along with staples such as eggs and canned soups. A package also includes fresh fruits or vegetables.
November’s package, for instance, includes two pounds of turkey pan roast; one pound Pollock fillets; one pound ground pork sausage; two pounds fresh mashed potatoes; 10.5 ounces turkey gravy; 15 ounces sweet potatoes; six ounces stuffing mix; 14 ounces cranberry sauce; two pie shells; one pound frozen vegetables; two pounds fresh onions; and one sleeve of fresh celery.
In addition to the monthly package, there are also four to six “specials” offered. These vary from month to month, but they include anything from Hot Pockets to stuffed pork chops. For example, December’s specials include spiral hams, each an average of 7.5 pounds, for $17.50; three pounds of breaded shrimp for $13.50; two pounds of sole fillets for $6; 10 pounds of chicken tenders for $14; two pounds of meatloaf for $6; Stouffer’s broccoli au gratin, 94 ounces, for $8.75; and 12, 8-ounce ham and cheese Hot Pockets for $17.
The hams are an all-natural hickory-glazed, bone-in spiral ham. The shrimp package contains 16-20 shrimp per pound; the sole fillets are individually quick-frozen in a two-pound bag; the meatloaf is a traditional 100% ground beef meatloaf.
Started more than 20 years ago by the Food Bank of Central New York as a means for transitioning households from emergency food to independence, organizers say a Food $en$e package should save individuals at least $10-15 over what it would cost to buy the same items at a grocery store or discount food outlet. Residents of small towns or rural areas may see even more savings when compared to city residents, due to the lack of big discount stores in these areas.

“Food $en$e is a great program,” says Food Bank’s Executive Director Tom Slater, “because it fulfills our mission of promoting self-sufficiency by providing an opportunity for people to use their own resources to buy food to feed themselves, instead of relying on emergency food programs.”
“But the program could certainly be made even stronger,” he continued. “Right now, we feel our message may be missing some working families and seniors who could certainly use a service like this.”
Boonville Coordinator Kilbourne is also concerned. Like Slater, she feels area residents who could benefit from the program may be unaware of its existence.
Diane is also worried that the sign-up and pick-up times at the church fellowship hall may be inconvenient for some families. She is willing to do whatever it takes to make the program more accessible to everyone. As part of Diane’s efforts to increase involvement, she has put up a suggestion box at the site. She hopes participants will take time to tell her how she can improve the program. Diane is also distributing fliers around town to help spread the word about the program’s value.
Food Bank’s Andrew Katzer said, “Food $en$e is a great program because not only are customers getting an excellent value month after month, they are also getting excellent product. As the Food Services Director, it’s my job to ensure that every item is fresh, nutritious and high-quality.” Katzer strives to give the customer “more bang for their buck.” Packages and specials are created based on customer feedback. “The program only works if families like and want what is being offered,” he said.
Diane explained that you need to take everything that comes in a unit. “You can give it away if you don’t want it,” she said. Some people also “split” a unit, if they can’t use everything. Each month the site has donated several units to needy families. Currently, they have collected enough to donate eight Thanksgiving dinners.
The next sign-ups are Monday, November 28, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and Tuesday, November 29, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boonville United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 102 Ann Street. Pick-up is Friday, December 16, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
The projected list for December (subject to change) includes: chicken breast, 1.5 pounds average; one pound of fish sticks; one pound ground turkey (90/10); one pound sliced bacon; 6 ounce ham steaks; 5 ounces tuna fish; 10.8 ounces chocolate chip muffins; 12 ounces egg noodles; one pound frozen mixed vegetables; 11 ounces mandarin oranges; two fresh produce items.
For more information about the local Food $en$e program, contact Diane at 942-6652 call the church office Monday through Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 942-2626, or visit www.boonvilleunitedmethodist.com/Food-Sense.html.

Stretch Your Food Budget with Food $en$e Packages