Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Inc (CCRM) began in the mid-1950’s and is an interfaith, non-denominational human service agency based on the belief that all people are deserving of adequate food, clothing, shelter and work opportunity by which to acquire basic needs. CCRM encourages self-determination and development, empowering clients to become contributing members of society. Currently operating 15 programs, which includes a soup kitchen, emergency food pantry, thrift store, book shop, gleaning project, food recovery program, advocacy, community gardens, cooking and nutrition workshops, Furniture Gallery, Nourish NY Food Distribution Program, Thanksgiving Holiday Program, Christmas Gift and Food Baskets, Muriel’s Closet (a higher end thrift store), Seed Starting Program, Emergency Housing Crisis, and Supervised Visitation Program. Below are some statistics for the programs for the year 2021.

• Friendly Kitchen – 38,974 meals served

• Emergency Food Pantry/Nourish NY Program – 174,732 meals distributed 

• Gleaning Project: gleaned 42,030 pounds of food that otherwise would have been left in the fields to waste

• Cooking and Nutrition Workshops – held 12 Cooking and Nutrition workshops to assist families in eating healthy foods

• Food Recovery Program: received 159,000 pounds of food through local businesses, academic institutions and private donations which were in turn offered to those in our community as well as other emergency food relief organizations.

• Thanksgiving Holiday Program – provided 155 families with a Thanksgiving basket

• Christmas Gift and Food Baskets – provided 250 children with gifts and 175 families with a Christmas basket

• Supervised Visitation Program – this program provides supervision of families whose children are in foster care with the hopes that the families can be reunited if it is in the best interest of the children. In 2021, CCRM supervised over 40 families whose children were in the foster care system.

• Seed starting program – provided 50 families with seeds or plants for their own home use

• Emergency Housing Crisis – sheltered 23 families that were in homeless status or suffering a housing crisis 

CCRM is supported by New York State Department of Health which provides a portion of the salaries for 6 of the 9 staff, which allows donations to go into direct service. CCRM’s management and fundraising costs is .03%. Other supporters include local churches, individuals from the community, and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County. 

In 2018, CCRM moved to 319 Washington Avenue in Dunkirk so all of the programs are located in one site. CCRM is overseen by a board of directors consisting of up to 18 members who assist in fundraising and policy making. The goal is to give a “hand up, not a hand out.” COVID – 19 was very challenging, however, all of the emergency programs were kept open as staff were considered essential workers. 

Fundraising Goal: $3,000      

Contact info:

Kathleen G. Peterson 127

Central Ave.P.O. Box 362 Dunkirk, NY 14048

Phone: (716) 366-1787

Email: ccrmkp@gmail.com