Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

Welcome! We hope that you enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Thank you for using NNY360! Support local journalism — join now!

Thank you for using NNY360! Support local journalism — join now!

Thank you for signing in! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.

Checking back? Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again. To enjoy all our content, join now!

Log in or sign up for a new account and join now to continue reading.

Join now to continue reading.

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.

Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.

Promotional Rates were found for your code.

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 42F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Overcast. Some mixed winter precipitation possible late. Low 31F. Winds light and variable.

A mobile meat canner that produced these cans of turkey for worldwide relief efforts is slated to come to Lowville on Monday. Watertown Daily Times

A mobile meat canner that produced these cans of turkey for worldwide relief efforts is slated to come to Lowville on Monday. Watertown Daily Times

While we live in a world filled with abundance, many people don’t know if they’ll have enough food to feed their families today.

Food insecurity is a harsh reality for far too many individuals. And this isn’t merely a crisis in distant lands. It’s confronted by our friends and neighbors right here in Northern New York.

The Mennonite Central Committee, an organization representing Anabaptist churches, has for more than 70 years provided canned meat to those in need around the world. A mobile meat canner with four operators travels to 34 sites in Canada and the United States each year. Local volunteers prepare cans of beef, chicken, pork and turkey, which are then sent to food pantries in each area as well as shipped abroad.

For the third time, this operation will set up shop in Lewis County. Jeremy A. Kelly, a member of the Lowville Mennonite Church, helped bring the mobile meat canner to Maple Ridge Center in 2018. The mean canner also came here in 2019.

The canner will be at this facility, 7421 East Road, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Organizers are looking for 300 volunteers to work two-hour shifts those days to can the meat for distribution.

The good news is that 10% of all the meat canned will be donated to local food pantries. This will be 1,400 pounds of the 14,000 pounds of meat processed those two days next week. The rest will be sent to other areas of the United States and abroad to provide hunger relief.

“Originally, the idea was to assist wartime refugees. In 1946, people of the Mennonite faith prepared meat in their homes,” according to a story published March 26 in the Watertown Daily Times. “But many of the glass jars they used broke while being shipped, so a wagon with meat-canning equipment was purchased. Now, a tractor-trailer filled with eight pressure cookers and other meat-canning equipment travels to the locations where volunteers can aid in the process.”

Organizers also are asking people to contribute funds to offset the costs of the event. Visit https://www.facebook.com/meatcannerlewiscounty or call 315-755-8298 to volunteer on one of the days. Go to https://mapleridgecenter.org to offer financial support online.

Your comment has been submitted.

There was a problem reporting this.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.

Get the most of NNY360, register today!

By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com

Get Breaking News Alerts deliverd FREE to your inbox

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com