SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The clatter of pots, pans and lively chatter sets the stage for Thanksgiving preparations at food banks and pantries across the region. But these meals aren’t destined for family gatherings—they’re headed to those who need them most.
“Do not be afraid to walk in the doors,” said Brenda Mims, operations supervisor at the Syracuse Samaritan Center. “Come in. We have our hands open to greet you.”
For many, these spaces provide more than just a holiday meal—they offer a sense of community.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Community serves hope in CNY
Kaitlin Campbell: The clatter of pots, pans and lively chatter — The scene of your bustling kitchen on Thanksgiving. But these meals are headed to feed those that need them most.
Brenda Mims: Do not be afraid to walk in the doors. Come in. We have our hands open to greet you.
Campbell: At food banks and pantries across Central New York, Thanksgiving preparation is underway.
Mims: Because there’s people who don’t have family to go home to, so we supply them a great meal here.
Campbell: This holiday season they’re making sure everybody has a seat at the table, nutritious food and a place to turn to that feels like family.
Mims: Not just they’re guests walking through our door – they’re family, and that’s the way we treat them. 365 days a year.
Campbell: For one Rochester woman, family isn’t just an idea—it’s a mission. She’s turned her home into a 24/7 food pantry, proving kindness is always on the menu.
Kristin Streightiff: We have 3,000 followers a day and we’re still moving forward. It was a cart in the driveway, then it was in the garage, and now it’s in our mudroom and it’s like… we are… I post every day and people follow us.
Campbell: But as much as this food pantry helps others, it has impacted Kristin far greater.
Streightiff: I got diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, and I’ve had it for five years now, and then I decided that I needed to have something to… basically get out of bed for.
Campbell: And as she stocks her pantry shelves, she hopes others will join in on her spirit.
Streightiff: Warm bellies, warm hearts. You know, I mean it takes a village… and guess what – we are a village. I couldn’t do it without them.
Campbell: Just proof a simple act of kindness can change a life – especially in the holiday season. Reporting in Central New York, Kaitlin Campbell, NCC News
“There are people who don’t have family to go home to,” Mims said. “So we supply them a great meal here. They’re not just guests walking through our door—they’re family, and that’s the way we treat them, 365 days a year.”
The spirit of giving extends beyond traditional food pantries. In Rochester, Kristin Streightiff has transformed her home into a 24/7 food pantry, proving kindness has no limits.
“We have 3,000 followers a day, and we’re still moving forward,” Streightiff said. “It started as a cart in the driveway, then moved to the garage, and now it’s in our mudroom. I post every day, and people follow us.”
Streightiff’s mission is deeply personal.
“I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease five years ago,” she said. “I needed something to basically get out of bed for.”
Her pantry not only provides food, but also fosters a sense of belonging.
“Warm bellies, warm hearts,” Streightiff said. “It takes a village—and guess what? We are a village. I couldn’t do it without them.”
This holiday season, simple acts of kindness continue to prove transformative. Whether it’s a warm meal or a warm heart, the power of community shines brightest at Thanksgiving.