St. Lawrence County Community Development Program

08/31/2026

The air is getting more brisk in the morning. The days are cooler than they were a month ago. We know it's hard to believe, but fall is right around the corner. Which means....

HALLOWEEN IS COMING!!!

The Canton Neighborhood Center has Halloween outfits and costumes available in their thrift store for great prices!

Stop by and check out what they have at 5 West St. in Canton!

08/27/2026

The Potsdam Neighborhood Center will close on Friday, August 28th at noon and remain closed through Monday, September 7th.

They will reopen on Tuesday, September 8th at 8am.

If you experience a food need during this time, please consider reaching out to Helping Hands at 315-268-0633 or the Canton Neighborhood Center at 315-386-3541.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

08/26/2026

The Canton Neighborhood Center, located at 5 West St., has free produce available today. Please note that there is a limit of 4 items per household.

Please call the Center at 315-386-3541 with any questions.

08/18/2026

Our Neighborhood Center Directors and Executive Assistant made their way to Watertown yesterday to participate in the Food Bank of Central New York annual conference. FBCNY is such a treasured partner for our Neighborhood Centers and we can't thank them enough for everything they do not only for St. Lawrence County, but the 10 other counties they also serve!

08/18/2026

Yesterday our six Neighborhood Center directors and I headed out to Watertown for the annual Food Bank of CNY conference. About 15 minutes into our trip, we ran into trouble with the vehicle we were taking. Within three phone calls, we arranged a new ride to meet us on the spot, a tow truck for the unusable vehicle, and notified the garage where the vehicle was going. Needless to say, thanks to some incredible teamwork, we arrived at our destination on time.

However, like most success stories, unsung heroes were involved. Our Weatherization Technicians are absolutely amazing! Anytime I call on these guys, they show up with laughs and the best imaginable attitudes. Terry, Jeff, and Joe dropped everything to not only bring us another vehicle, but to sit with the incapacitated vehicle until the tow truck arrived so we could make it to the conference on time. Then they just went on with their business for the rest of the day as usual.

If you've ever encountered this team of fellas, you know they're jovial (seriously, packed with loads of laughs for all around) and always willing to help out. I can't count the times they've been asked to do things to help other departments in our agency.

Please join me in recognizing them for always being team players and so willing to help with everything asked of them, whether it falls under their job descriptions or not. (Because goodness knows everything I've asked of them has certainly NOT been in their job description.)

Thank you SO much to our CDP Larry, Curly and Moe: Terry, Jeff, and Joe, who truly embody the spirit of community action.

Terry, Jeff, and Joe tend to be camera shy so here's a close likeness. Thank you again, fellas, for everything that you do!

08/17/2026

Food $en$e is a monthly food buying co-op for anyone who wants to stretch their grocery dollars.

There are no qualifications, no subscriptions, and no requirements to participate in Food $en$e.

Rotating monthly specials can be purchased separately or in addition to the basic unit.

https://foodbankcny.org/our-programs/food-sense-program/

***Please note that orders paid for with EBT benefits must now be placed online. If you need assistance with placing an order online, please contact your most convenient Neighborhood Center.

Other ordering locations are available in Heuvelton, Ogdensburg, and Hammond. Please contact them at the numbers listed on the flyer for ordering information.

08/13/2026

Beginning Monday, AUGUST 24TH, the Gouverneur Neighborhood Center will be operating under new hours.

On Mondays, the Center will be open from 10am - 6pm.
On Tuesdays - Thursdays the Center will be open from 8am - 4pm.
On Fridays they will be closed.
The Center will also be closed everyday from 12pm - 1pm for lunch and restocking shelves.

The Gouverneur Neighborhood Center is located at 15 Rock Island St. For further information or any questions, please call 315-287-3370.

08/12/2026

This week, the Massena Rotary Club was pleased to welcome Barbara Adams, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence County Community Development Program (SLCCDP), and Jennifer O'Shaughnessy, Director of the Massena Neighborhood Center, as our guest speakers.
Barbara gave us an excellent overview of the many programs provided by SLCCDP, a community action agency that has been serving St. Lawrence County since 1965 when President Johnson declared a War on Poverty. The agency provides Head Start, Housing Choice Vouchers, weatherization, food assistance, and other services designed to help individuals and families achieve greater self-sufficiency and economic stability.
SLCCDP operates six Neighborhood Centers throughout the county, including the Massena Neighborhood Center. These centers provide food pantries, emergency assistance, family development services, budgeting and employment assistance, and other resources to people in need.
Jennifer then focused on the important work being done right here at the Massena Neighborhood Center, which serves residents throughout the Massena area. The Center provides a food pantry and assistance with emergencies involving food, fuel, utilities, and shelter. It also offers a thrift store, family development services, a Christmas program, and a community garden that provides fresh produce to local families.
Jennifer shared her concern about the growing number of people in our community who need help with food and fuel, as well as the increasing number of people experiencing homelessness. Her commitment to helping our neighbors was evident throughout her presentation.
We were especially proud to hear Jennifer recognize the partnership between the Neighborhood Center and Massena Rotary. One of our service projects this year has been helping build new, larger garden boxes for the Center's community garden. These boxes will allow the Center to grow and share even more fresh produce with people who need it.
Thank you to Barbara and Jennifer for sharing the important work of SLCCDP and the Massena Neighborhood Center with us. Their message was a great reminder that service isn't just something we talk about in Rotary—it is something we do together to strengthen our community.
Pictured from left to right, Patrick Brady, Massena Rotary president, Jennifer Oshaughnessy, Barbara Adams and Darcy Sharpe, Rotary community services. 

08/12/2026