On November 5, the Regional Food Bank, in partnership with the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties Inc., or JCEO, announced an exciting rollout that will widen access to nutritious food for local community members. Across the North Country and Adirondacks, where food insecurity rates are among the highest in the Regional Food Bank’s service area, families, children, seniors, and veterans will all be provided with fresh and essential nutrients.
Through an investment in 3 additional full-time employees at the Regional Food Bank and improvements in infrastructure at JCEO’s Malone facility, which serves Franklin County, the partnership will increase access to essential needs for more than 100 partners providing services across the North Country.
The Regional Food Bank and the JCEO opted for this decision based on statistical data displaying the realities of food insecurity within the service area. In 2025, the Regional Food Bank was able to provide 3.9 million meals across the Adirondack North Country. Nonetheless, they found that 38,000 North Country residents experience food insecurity, including 17.7% of children and one in nine seniors. The food bank’s choice to make their services even more widespread and accessible reflects their unrelenting commitment to ensuring the basic needs of every resident are met.
“Food insecurity impacts every city, town, and village in our region, and everyone has an equal right to fresh and nutritious food,” said Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank. “This investment allows us to address hunger where it starts, at home, by bringing food closer to the people who need it most. It also reflects our commitment to reducing the meal gap and strengthening our commitment to our partners that make this work possible.”
The infrastructure improvements planned for the JCEO facility will include a new walk-in cooler and freezer, as well as an expanded dry storage capacity. These changes will quadruple the amount of freezer space available, as well as double both cold and dry storage space, ensuring that the JCEO can hold and distribute even more food to locals. Rather than having to rely on weekly deliveries to pick up locations, these improvements will allow agencies to access food every day, improving the efficiency of their programs.
These improvements made by the Regional Food Bank and the JCEO are a monument to the true power that community service can hold. By ensuring that every neighbor has reliable access to the food they need, the Regional Food Bank and the JCEO ensure that the Adirondack North Country can thrive.
For more information on the Regional Food Bank and the JCEO, visit their websites at