Food banks partner with grocery stores to expand food access

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A local food bank is partnering with a transportation services company to expand access to fresh, healthy food. The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York launched the Retail Store donation program on Wednesday.

Participating grocery stores will donate excess products to food pantries with help from Tech Valley Shuttle. It focuses on reducing transportation barriers for people living in poverty, and it will bring the food to food banks to provide millions of meals.

"Food scarcity is just a no brainer. I feel like food is the most basic necessity that every human needs to survive, even animals," Tech Valley Shuttle founder and CEO Trent Griffin-Braaf said. "And so, if individuals are struggling with that, it's hard to be successful and be able to succeed long-term in life."

The program will begin in Amsterdam and Schenectady, but they hope to expand it to other parts of the Capital Region in the future.