The Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office has launched a new way to combat food insecurity in the county.
Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, Sheriff Brian Schenck said his office is once again collaborating with APE Scare and Care Inc. to raise food donations for TomatoFest which will then be distributed to food pantries across the county.
New for this year, he’s launching a “warrant” for people to nominate others to donate food.
“We’re going to pass out flyers which are basically set up like a warrant and anyone in our community can nominate somebody to be the subject of that warrant with a predetermined fine of five cans of nonperishable food to be delivered to either our sheriff’s office or APE Scare and Care at the Fingerlakes Mall,” Schenck said.
While the “warrants” are completely voluntary, Schenck hopes this fun initiative will lead to more donations for TomatoFest.
“These food donations and the monetary donations that TomoatoFest volunteers make after the event go to a number of food pantries throughout the entire county,” Schenck continued. “Being that I’m with the sheriff’s office and have countywide jurisdiction, I’m very happy to help support this initiative that helps all of the food pantries throughout the county.”
Last year, the sheriff’s office and APE held a friendly competition to see which group could raise the most cans for Tomatofest with a combined total of 1,600 cans being donated. TomatoFest officials declared the drive a tie, setting up a rematch for 2024.
The “warrant” program will run now through TomatoFest which is on September 7.
Warrants can be printed below:
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