Venture Churches Food Pantry

Open Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 am and 5:00-7:00 pm


Located at:  First Reformed Church of Bethlehem, 38 Church Road (off of Rt. 9W), Selkirk, NY


We are four local churches that have been serving people in our community for over 30 years.  This ministry comes out of our faith and belief in helping fellow people in need.  We recognize each individual has unique needs.  We treat people with respect, dignity, compassion, kindness and without judgment or discrimination.  We provide a bridge to a variety of resources and cooperate with area businesses and other local food pantries.


If you are interested in volunteering at the Food Pantry or are in need of our services, please call the church office (518) 767-2243 Mon. to Fri. from 9:00 am-1:00 pm.


Cash/check donations can be mailed to the church (please indicate pantry donation), placed in the pantry mail slot (outside the church office) or placed in the pantry donation basket. We are also a part of the “Adopt a Pantry” program run by the Regional Food Bank. If donating online is easier for you, visit http://regionalfoodbank.net/adopt-a-program. The webpage allows you to donate directly to our food bank account.

We are very happy to announce that one of our long-term volunteers, Donna Lasher, has been named the 2025 Volunteer of the Year for Albany County! This award is being given by the Food Pantries for the Capital District and will be presented at a ceremony in April. Donna has volunteered at the pantry for over 20 years, consistently going above and beyond in commitment to helping those in need. Her hard work and compassionate nature have had a profound impact on both the pantry and the people we serve. What truly sets Donna apart is her positive attitude and commitment to our mission. We could not be more proud as she receives this most deserved honor.


Food insecurity continues to be a growing problem in the Capital District. In 2024, our Coalition, comprised of programs in Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties, distributed food for more than 5 million meals and saw over 431,000 Food Pantry visits. Ventures Churches Food Pantry received more than 10,000 pounds of food from the Food Pantries for the Capital District which we were then able to share with the community. This is just one of the vital partnerships helping us address hunger in our local community.


Our pantry would not be able to do this work without the generosity of all our supporters. This month we will focus on collecting condiments, self-care items and healthy snacks. From monetary donations, to pantry items, to positive thoughts, every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated.


If you're interested in learning more about the pantry, you can contact us at Venturechurchesfp@gmail.com 518-767-2243 or 518-366-0076.

History of our Food Pantry

To see a need and fill it is a good business plan. It is also good church outreach. In the mid 1980's, Arlene Jordan saw that there were families in our area that did not have adequate food. She approached our then Pastor, Al Janssen with a plan to assist those families. Gifts of food and holiday meal kits wer e delivered. And the Food Pantry began in one small room downstairs.


Soon Eleanor Weideman and Ray Hohl became involved. In the early 1990's a group of 4 churches gathered with the goal of doing ecumenical good works. Calling themselves the Venture Churches, they set three goals. They set up a "Clothing Closet " at the Clarksville Reformed Church, they created a schedule of meal support for the Albany Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (IPH). and they offered to help staff and support the food pantry housed at First Reformed Church of Bethlehem.


The food pantry grew to two rooms. One for shopping and the other to store additional goods, Peg Phillips and then Sarah Hafensteiner each took a turn at leading and growing this ministry.


As the needs of the community grew, so did the pantry. Under the leadership of Carol Broderick (with Tricia Kandafer as grant writer) the pantry joined with other pantries and came under the umbrella of the Food Bank of the Greater Northeast.


Our space was renovated by a local Boy Scout as his Eagle project. What had been a single room with three wooden shelves of canned food and dry goods is now several rooms with wire shelf units. Food is organized by nutrition type. Three freezers and two refrigerators offer meat, dairy and fresh produce items. Danielle Riggi took over leadership when Carol retired due to illness.


Our current leadership is a triumvirate of women who bring new skills and energy. Lisa Lafountain, Diane Miller and Jackie Wilkie keep a team of volunteers, several rooms of food, personal and household items and school supplies ready to serve our clients. The latest addition is a stair chair device that makes it easier for those with mobility issues to access the pantry.


Besides our monthly purchases from the food bank, we get produce and dairy items from Hudson Harvest. The Delmar Hannaford donates bakery and deli items every Tuesday. This allows us to share nutritious food with our neighbors. We continue now as The Venture Churches Food Pantry but are staffed by volunteers from many churches and the community.


All of this because one person said "People are hungry. How can we help?"