Rochester Hope: Food If You Need It, No Questions Asked

No Appointment, No IDs, No Cash Registers

At a small grocery store on the corner of North Clinton Ave and Clifford Ave in Rochester, there are no cash registers. The shelves are stacked high with canned goods, bread, rice, fresh produce, and more. Most of the shoppers are families with young children and many languages are spoken there. People put what they need in baskets and take it home to feed their families. All are welcome, all are served, no IDs, no appointments required. That’s the vision behind Rochester Hope, a nonprofit born in late 2022. 

Three years have gone by, and now more than 400 households shop there every week. Families can get free clothing and furniture. A rotation of 50 agencies drop in on Saturdays to connect people to services like healthcare and housing, employment services, and legal aid. They engage hundreds of volunteers, many of whom are clients. 

Rochester Hope has created a space where neighbors help each other with dignity in the heart of the 14605 zip code — one of the most food insecure neighborhoods in the city. 

In an environment of increased fear around immigration enforcement, Rochester Hope has deepened partnerships with Wegmans and Foodlink to arrange for deliveries of food to families that are afraid to leave their home. 

First-Time Applicant Earns Grant, then Fundholder Match

In October 2024, Rochester Hope applied to the Latino Giving Circle’s call for grant applications, describing how their programs help people meet basic needs, so they can focus on finding employment, improving their skills, or obtaining permanent housing. It was Rochester Hope’s first time applying for any Community Foundation funding opportunity. 

Members of the Latino Giving Circle awarded a $2,500 grant to Rochester Hope to enhance their service in this largely Latino neighborhood. Their grant was matched by donor-advised fundholders who contributed another $2,500. Those dollars were turned into 1,567,000 pounds of food — stocking shelves, filling carts, and nourishing families.  

New Roof Will Shelter Rochester Hope into the Future

This vibrant ecosystem of mutual aid exists in the former rectory of the historic St. Michael’s Church. The roof was deteriorating and this vital community resource needed more than another patch. 

In 2025, Rochester Hope applied for a $30,000 grant towards a new roof. The Community Foundation’s grantmaking team identified $20,000 from the Historic Preservation grant cycle to meet this request and invited fundholders passionate about historic assets and basic needs to join us. The response was overwhelming. Not only did Community Foundation fundholders come forward with the entire $30,000 in support — Rochester Hope’s mission inspired an additional $7,000 in gifts for their operations. 

This time, dollars will become decking and shingles, a physical barrier from the elements, shelter for this vibrant community space, and longevity for these life-changing programs. 

There are many hands at work addressing food insecurity from the corner of North Clinton and Clifford Avenues. 

It’s not quite magic. It’s community. It’s what happens when hard work and connections and trust are met with generosity; when one act of giving sparks another until a neighborhood starts to transform itself. 

Get Involved

Co-investment is one of the most powerful ways to turn shared values into shared impact. You can join us in supporting projects like this throughout the year — whether or not you’re a Community Foundation fundholder. 

To explore current opportunities or start a conversation, reach out to Mary Hartstein, director of donor engagement & impact, at mhartstein@racf.org or 585-341-4352.