Connecticut Food Bank 2011 Hunger Action Heroes Honored

Connecticut Food Bank recently honored our Hunger Action Heroes at an awards ceremony attended by more than 100 at our East Haven warehouse. The heroes are individuals, businesses and organizations that go above and beyond to support Connecticut Food Bank in its mission to alleviate hunger in Connecticut. The ceremony is held annually in September, designated as Hunger Action Month.

“You are our heroes in many ways, but more importantly you are our inspiration, making a difference in the lives of the men, women and children who depend on us for food,” Connecticut Food Bank President & CEO Nancy L. Carrington told the honorees. “We thank you for your extraordinary service on behalf of our mission to alleviate hunger in Connecticut.”

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro was presented with The Bill Liddell Award – the highest tribute paid by Connecticut Food Bank to an individual, organization or corporation in recognition of exemplary service, ongoing dedication and significant support of the Food Bank and its mission. The award was named after Bill Liddell who supported the Food Bank by donating a total of 104 tons of fresh produce, as well as time and funds. He spent six years on Connecticut Food Bank’s Board of Directors.

“Since her election to Congress in 1990, Rosa DeLauro is one of the strongest voices in for local, national and global hunger relief efforts,” said Carrington. ”We are grateful for her tireless work to help those who face the struggles of food insecurity.”

Other 2011 Connecticut Food Bank Hunger Action Heroes are:
• Carl Asikainen: Advocacy Hero
• A-1 Toyota: Business Hero
• Junior League of Greater New Haven: Civic Hero
• Walmart: Corporate Hero
• Anthony DiBenedetto, Hallock Orchard (Washington Depot): Farm Hero
• ShopRites of Hamden, Milford, Stratford and West Haven: Fundraising Hero
• Ocean State Job Lot: Food Industry Hero
• Michael Maze: Media Hero
• Waterbury’s Evangelical Christian Church: Member Program Hero
• Sam Greco: Student Hero
• Jeremy Titus: Volunteer Hero

In addition, Connecticut Food Bank recognized top individual and team fundraisers who participated in the annual Walk Against Hunger, held in New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury. Those events raised more than $240,000 to support hunger-relief efforts in Connecticut.

A-1 Toyota received Connecticut Food Bank’s Business Hunger Action Hero Award.

Michael Maze receives the Media Hunger Action Hero Award from Connecticut Food Bank’s Events & Promotions Coordinator Stefanie Stevens.

A-1 Toyota received Connecticut Food Bank's Business Hunger Action Hero Award.

Michael Maze receives the Media Hunger Action Hero Award from Connecticut Food Bank's Events & Promotions Coordinator Stefanie Stevens.

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Connecticut Food Bank dedicates “Giving Garden” to encourage gardeners to Plant an Extra Row for the Hungry

Connecticut Food Bank recently dedicated its new “Giving Garden” to encourage home and community gardeners and farmers to plant an extra row of produce as part of its Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign. East Haven Mayor April Capone planted the garden’s last tomato plant at a dedication ceremony attended by the local businesses who donated vegetable plants, as well as volunteers who are donating their time this summer to tend the garden. You can watch the event on East Haven Patch.

The Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign’s goal is to increase the number of gardeners, farmers, schools, places of worship, youth and community groups and businesses that make a difference by adding a row of seedbeds or donating their surplus produce to Connecticut Food Bank and other local hunger-relief organizations. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and donor receipts are provided.

“Every extra tomato, squash or watermelon goes a long way to help feed those who don’t have enough to eat,” said Nancy L. Carrington, Connecticut Food Bank’s President & CEO. “In Connecticut, one in seven families is affected by hunger and we all know the importance of providing nutritious fruits and vegetables to people in need.”

Home Depot of East Haven and Van Wilgen’s Garden Center in North Branford donated the vegetable plants for the garden. Surplus plants were given to some of Connecticut Food Bank’s member food pantries and soup kitchens that have vegetable gardens on site.

Since Connecticut Food Bank launched the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign in 2006, the program has collected thousands of pounds of fresh produce for people struggling with hunger in Connecticut.

Clean, fresh produce can be dropped off at a local food pantry or Connecticut Food Bank’s warehouses in East Haven, Fairfield and Waterbury. Any fruit or vegetable that gardeners prefer to grow can be accepted. Suggested plantings include spinach, kale, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, peas, green beans, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants, summer and winter squash, zucchini, beets and garlic.

To find a local food pantry that accepts fresh produce donations in the area, visit www.ampleharvest.org. For details about Plant a Row or to request a program speaker for your organization, call Carolyn Russell, Connecticut Food Bank’s Procurement Director at 203-469-5000.

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More than 500 take part in Greater New Haven Walk Against Hunger

Connecticut Food Bank’s 35th Annual Greater New Haven Walk Against Hunger on May 1 presented by Webster Bank exceeded expectations, with a record number of walkers coming out to help alleviate hunger in Connecticut. Thank you to all the walkers, member programs and volunteers who made the event one of the most successful ever! We know many enjoyed the walk, music, food and lawn games on a spectacular Sunday afternoon in May!

Congratulations to the Greater New Haven Spirit Award winners:

Best Team Name: UNH Strawberry Striders
Best Team Costume: Fabulous Females for Food
Best Team Spirit: Master’s Manna of Wallingford

And special thanks to New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Miss Connecticut Junior Preteen Mikayla Raffone and John Voket from 99.1 WPLR for helping to rally the crowd before they hit the pavement. Check out Walk photos donated by Stefanie Kapra of Photography and More on Connecticut Food Bank’s Facebook page. We’re looking forward to two more successful events this month:

• 2nd Annual Greater Bridgeport Walk Against Hunger, Sunday, May 15, Seaside Park, Bridgeport
• 6th Annual Greater Waterbury Walk Against Hunger, Sunday, May 22, Library Park, Waterbury

Registration is at 1 p.m. and the Walks get under way rain or shine at 2 p.m. Register your team today at www.ctfoodbank.org/walkagainsthunger and help feed your neighbors in need. You can download a Registration Form and Walk poster. Can’t make the Walk dates? You can register as a Spirit Walker.

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Quota International of New Haven Partners with Connecticut Food Bank

In 2006, the Quota Club of New Haven wanted to add additional projects to its community outreach program. Then club President, Patricia Jakupkovic, recalled that while teaching in the New Haven school system, she would see children sneaking an extra cereal to take home in their backpack. As a result of this line of thinking, the Quota Club contacted Connecticut Food Bank to determine how it could help hungry students and a long and solid partnership was formed.

At the time, Connecticut Food Bank ran a small scale food distribution program to local schools and was considering linking up with the national Feeding America Kids’ BackPack program. This program involves packing and distributing bags of kid-friendly, single-serving, nutritious foods to selected school systems. On Friday afternoons, school staff distributes the food to children identified by school personnel as being at risk of hunger over the weekend. The Quota Club of New Haven and Connecticut Food Bank both realized a huge need existed for the program throughout the food bank’s six-county service area. They also knew it would require a tremendous amount of volunteer and financial support if it was going to succeed. The Quota Club vowed to provide Connecticut Food Bank with both if they decided to go forward with it. The Kids’ BackPack Program has been growing rapidly ever since.

In the fall of 2006, the program began serving children in five school systems. About 18 Quota Club members volunteered each month to fill bags with selected food items, which were then boxed and distributed to the schools by the food bank. By the end of that year, the program grew to 17 schools and 287 students who were at-risk of hunger each weekend. It was not long before the program grew so much in scope that the Quota members began volunteering twice a month to pack bags and boxes. By the end of the school year in 2008, the program had almost doubled in size serving 527 students in 37 schools.

In the spring of 2010, the program had reached the point that Quota members increased their support to volunteering three times a month. Now, between 10 -15 members visit Connecticut Food Bank in East Haven on the first, second and fourth Tuesday of each month and dedicate two hours to filling bags with child-friendly food items. The club members pack between two and three pallets of food each visit – enough food for 360-540 children. Today, 1,700 children in 65 schools across 15 Connecticut towns receive food to take home on Friday thanks, in large part, to the team affectionately known as, “The Quota Ladies.”
 
Over the past four years, the club has donated nearly 1,300 volunteer hours to this project and packed more than 64,000 bags of kid friendly snacks. Its support doesn’t stop there. The volunteers continue to assist with a number of special events, and even collect 50-60 pounds of food from members at each monthly meeting.

Since 2006, the organization and its individual members have given more than $10,000 to Connecticut Food Bank, which includes a $5,000 donation in 2009 made by BJ’s Wholesale Club on behalf of Pat Jakupkovic. Pat was named a BJ’s Community Hero, in part for her work with Quota, and she chose Connecticut Food Bank as her charity of choice.

In all, Quota Club of New Haven has been a cornerstone and mainstay with the Kids’ BackPack Program and the fight against hunger in Connecticut. Because of its strong support we have been able to continue to expand the program. Knowing that we are supported by such a dedicated organization and faithful group of friends enables us to “get it done” no matter the need. Thank you, Quota Club of New Haven! You are a real community treasure.

Written by: Kim Damien
Volunteer Coordinator
Connecticut Food Bank

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Dunkin’ Donuts Employees Rise to the Challenge for Kids’ BackPack Program

The Mohegan Sun Arena is known for WNBA games and rock concerts. But on Thursday morning, the floor of the arena was taken over by corporate employees of Dunkin’ Donuts and Connecticut Food Bank for two hours of competitive community service and chaos.

At the invitation of Dunkin’ Donuts, the food bank brought in two truckloads of Kids’ BackPack supplies in the wee hours of the morning. By 10 a.m., the Dunkin’ Donuts employees arrived to hear a challenge: a similar group in New Orleans had packed 6,000 packets of food for its local Kids’ BackPack program and we wanted to beat that record.

After a Dunkin’ Donuts Baskin Robbins Community Foundation check presentation of $5,700 to help defray the costs of the Kids’ BackPack program, the employees were divided into five teams. To promote that competitive spirit, the team that packed the most bags was going to get a coveted Golden Backpack, made for this occasion by the Food Bank’s own Carly Yearsley, our Child Nutrition Coordinator.

We weren’t quite sure what to expect. Our typical backpacking volunteer experience has, at most, a dozen people quietly putting together the bags of food for children who would otherwise go hungry on weekends when they don’t have access to school meals. Each bag must contain two wholegrain cereal products, two shelf-stable milks, two protein-based entrees, two healthy snacks, and two 100% juice boxes. We distribute more than 1,700 of these bags each week to 65 schools in 15 school districts and depend on volunteers every week to make it happen. But 250 exuberant, caffeine-buzzed (we are talking about Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, after all) volunteers with slightly more than an hour available to beat a New Orleans all-time record was an all-new experience.

Each team of 50 came up with a fast game plan and team member assignments – they had product box openers, runners to refill the packing tables, box makers, bag openers, and dozens of packers lined up at tables. And when the whistle blew, they were off and running.

It was frenzied, it was noisy, it was fun… and in the middle of it, WTNH showed up and waded into the middle of the action for a TV news story which didn’t slow the crowd down one bit. When Carly announced “Freeze” and they stopped packing (well, when Carly announced “Freeze” for the third or fourth time and they started to slow down – did we mention that caffeine-buzz?), we beat the New Orleans record by hundreds. A month’s supply of bags had been packed!

Of course, we added clean-up as a requirement – no prize awarded until the area was almost as spotless as it had been before the event started – and they managed that in record time too (there’s that caffeine-buzz again).

Congratulations to teams “Pack Pack Pack” and “Latte Packing Going On,” (yes, we had a tie!) who get to share that coveted Golden BackPack. But there were no losers because it was all for a good cause – to feed hungry children here in Connecticut.

To get a couch-potato view (but do have some Dunkin’Donuts caffeine and join the buzz), click on the link to the WTNH story here.

Our disclaimer: All references to a caffeine-buzz are strictly the opinion of this coffee-drinking reporter and not the official claim of the Dunkin’ Donuts brand. But it is a reason we all arrive to work every morning with that DD cup in hand…. After all, America runs on Dunkin’.

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Junior League’s “Super” Saturday Food Drive Scores Big

The day before the Super Bowl, while many were gearing up for the “Big Game,” the Junior League of Greater New Haven was aiming to make a big impact for the Connecticut Food Bank.

About 15 League members participated in the Super Saturday food drive Feb. 5 at the Stop & Shop supermarket in New Haven’s Westville neighborhood for much of the day. Several members’ friends and significant others also pitched in for the good cause.

Members collected numerous food donations on one of the busiest days of the year for grocery shopping, as well as many cash donations.

While final tallies are not yet available, League President Kimberly Pedrick said it was an extremely busy day at the supermarket – with the entire store’s shopping carts in use most of the time! And the event was a great experience for League members and shoppers/donors alike. The Junior League has partnered with the food bank on this event for several years, and members always find it a very rewarding experience.

Posted by the Junior League of Greater New Haven. Since 2005, the Connecticut Food Bank has provided an additional 50,000 meals to those in need from the funds donated and food drives hosted by the Junior League of Greater New Haven.

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Junior League of Greater New Haven Helps Connecticut Food Bank’s Fight to Alleviate Hunger

The Junior League of Greater New Haven, a group of area women of all ages and backgrounds committed to improving the community, has partnered with the Connecticut Food Bank for more than five years and found it among our most rewarding relationships.

The food bank’s mission to alleviate hunger coincides well with the League’s mission, which is to promote voluntarism, develop the potential of women, and improve our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

By supporting the important mission of Connecticut Food Bank, we as League members get the opportunity to help strengthen the community in which we live.

We began working with Connecticut Food Bank as what we call a “Done in a Day” project in 2005, and two years later in 2007 developed a committee devoted solely to the partnership. The first activity we took part in was the Caravan of Carriages, when we walked with food-filled grocery carts from Stop & Shop in Branford to Connecticut Food Bank’s warehouse in East Haven.

One of the great aspects of our partnership with Connecticut Food Bank has been the breadth of options it has given us when deciding how to help.

Over the years, League members have pitched in at a wide array of events, and we are very excited to be helping out at the upcoming Super Saturday food drive on Feb. 5, at the Amity Super Stop & Shop, as we have had great experiences volunteering at that event in the past.

In addition, we’ve spent many hours helping to sort food at the CFB, staffing and hosting food drives, and participating in the annual Walk Against Hunger. We’ve also incorporated the food bank into some of our social events, collecting food at our meetings as well as at happy hours in New Haven and Hamden.

We’ve had several members undergo “Hunger 101″ training to get a better idea of how hunger and food insecurity impact people in Greater New Haven. And some of the most popular events among our membership have been helping out during Thanksgiving for All and Stamp Out Hunger events.

The League also has sponsored Connecticut Food Bank’s Virtual Food Drive, where a $10 donation can buy 40 meals for families in need.

We have great respect for Connecticut Food Bank and our partnership with the organization. Beyond our upcoming assistance Feb. 5 at the Super Saturday event, we look forward to continuing and growing our relationship with the great people at the food bank!

Posted by the Junior League of Greater New Haven. Since 2005, the Connecticut Food Bank has provided an additional 50,000 meals to those in need from the funds donated and food drives hosted by the Junior League of Greater New Haven.

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Our Thanks

This past Thanksgiving Day, many of us sat around the dinner table surrounded by friends and families expressing our gratitude over heaping plates of food. Thousands of men, women and children who are struggling to survive in today’s economy were also able to share in the spirit of the holiday thanks to the generosity of their neighbors.

Scores of individuals, families, civic groups, schools, religious organizations and companies came forward in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving to help make Connecticut Food Bank’s “Thanksgiving for All” campaign a success. Together, we collected 24,516 turkeys and more than 360 tons of trimmings. With everyone’s help, we were able to provide nearly 779,503 meals for people in need of food assistance this holiday season.

The kindness demonstrated throughout our Thanksgiving campaign was not only awe-inspiring, but also a testament to what we can do when we work together as a community. As today’s recession continues to push more of our neighbors over the brink of financial security, we have to do more. Hunger is a year-round issue that doesn’t end on Thanksgiving weekend. You can help Connecticut families year round by making a donation at http://www.ctfoodbank.org/donate.

Since this current recession began, Connecticut saw one of the most significant increases in households grappling with food insecurity according to a federal report released days before Thanksgiving.

We can’t justify people living with hunger. We must do all we can to change this. And as we learned this past Thanksgiving, we have the ability and fortitude to feed thousands of individuals who were in danger of going without a holiday meal. Let’s carry that resolve beyond Thanksgiving and into the days and months that follow.

On behalf of Connecticut Food Bank and the 650 food-assistance programs we serve, thank you for your wonderful support this Thanksgiving and all year long.

Sincerely,

Nancy L. Carrington
Chief Executive Officer
Connecticut Food Bank

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Giving Thanks

We recently sat down to talk to with Bill Lee, the recipient of our Hunger Action Hero Business Award, which was given in September. Bill owns Thermo King of Southern Connecticut. He has also been a partner with Connecticut Food Bank for the past 12 years, volunteering his time and equipment and making donations. As he does every year, Bill provided on-site refrigerated trucks for our large Thanksgiving for All food drives last week. These large-scale turkey collections in our communities would not be possible without his support.

Bill Lee, of Thermo King of Southern Connecticut

A true inspiration, Bill continues to make a difference in the community by hosting food drives. Below is our interview with the Thermo King himself.

CFB: Congratulations on your recent Hunger Action Hero Business Award. What does this award mean to you personally?
Bill: Well, I donate to a lot of different organizations and it felt really good to receive an award like that – to be recognized for something that I’ve done.
CFB: How has volunteering impacted your life?
Bill: I’ve been doing business with Connecticut Food Bank for the last 12 years and I see how dedicated the employees are there. We try to donate as much as we can to it. I was brought up with three brothers and a single mom and I know what it feels like to go to bed at night without having anything to eat, so I applaud the employees there for what they do.
CFB: Many people graciously donate during the holiday season, but could you explain the importance of donating year round?
Bill: I think there’s more hunger in this country than a lot of people realize. The economy is so bad, there are more people that are unemployed now, and the cost of gas and heating oil is high. People can help by volunteering – bring your recycling items back to the store, redeem them and buy a can of food to donate. There are a lot of things people can do.
CFB: What drives you to continue helping Connecticut Food Bank?
Bill: I’ve been through it, so it’s more of a reward now that I have bettered myself in life. I own my own business; I’ve come from nothing and gone to having more than I need, so if I can give back to the community, I do.
CFB: What would you say to someone who doesn’t believe he or she can help out?
Bill: They should visit a church homeless shelter. There is hunger out there. You can listen to people’s stories. Open your eyes; it happens enough around us.
CFB: What is your ultimate goal when volunteering?
Bill: To keep giving as much support as far as trailers and equipment and making more drives. Making people more aware that there is hunger in this state.
CFB: Thank you for your time and for the opportunity to speak with you. Are there any last things that you would like to say?
Bill: Connecticut Food Bank is a good organization, very well run. People there are very dedicated to their cause and are very organized.

We would like to congratulate Bill once again on his well-deserved Hunger Action Hero Business Award. We also want to thank him for all that he has done and continues to do for Connecticut Food Bank.

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A Path from Unemployment to Serving People in Need

Sonia Rivera, far right, celebrated with her team after finishing the inaugural Walk Against Hunger in Bridgeport in April 2010. Team Sonia Rivera won third prize for team fundraising prizes for the Walk in Bridgeport.

This time last year, Sonia Rivera was unemployed. She lost her job in April 2009 after she was laid off as part of a national company’s efforts to cut costs and downsize. It was the first time since college that Sonia didn’t have a job.

For 16 years, Sonia was a traffic manager, managing more than a dozen employees and a fleet of eight to nine trucks a day that served the tri-state area. It was a job she loved and enjoyed doing.

But like many hundreds of thousands of workers, the poor economy forced Sonia’s company to cut jobs, driving about 30 workers to the unemployment lines.

Sonia took some time off for herself, but quickly started to look for a job in earnest. She said she was fortunate because her family, including then 10-year-old daughter Vanessa, had her husband’s income and her unemployment benefits to help them through the trying time.

Sonia, who initially didn’t know where the unemployment office in Bridgeport was located, started going to the Connecticut Department of Labor office on Lafayette Square to take as many classes as she could to improve her computer and job skills. She had not searched for a job since she graduated from college about 16 years ago.

“I was there every single day,” Sonia recalled. “I met a lot of wonderful people who were willing to help. Going to the unemployment office was so beneficial for me. The counselors there were so wonderful. They knew what I was going through and knew how to guide me.”

Sonia was the first to admit that her situation wasn’t as dire as others, who were only collecting $60 a week on unemployment. She said she was fortunate that she was able to collect the maximum benefit.

But after months of being unemployed, Sonia started to worry about what would happen to her family’s finances after the unemployment benefits ran out. She did all she could to find a job. She attended job and career fairs, networked with as many people as she could face-to-face as well as through social media.

It was a tough job market, Sonia said.

In the fall of 2009, Sonia learned about Connecticut Food Bank after watching “The Biggest Loser” television show on NBC. She realized that unlike before when she worked, she now had the time to give back to her community. She called Connecticut Food Bank to volunteer.

Sonia started doing office work for the Food Bank in October 2009. She came about once a week to the Food Bank to fold letters, stuff envelopes and help with some office tasks.

Then, as Connecticut Food Bank searched for a new Fairfield Warehouse Distribution Coordinator, Sonia’s story and resume got passed along to the administration at the Food Bank.

“I just got into the habit of sharing my story with everybody. I wanted to be open with people. This is who I am. This is my story,” Sonia said.

On Feb. 11, 2010, Sonia started at the Food Bank’s Fairfield warehouse. This month, she will be heading to Waterbury to manage the warehouse under an interim appointment.

She has since gone back to the unemployment office in Bridgeport to share her success story and give others hope that an opportunity may be just around the corner.

“Be positive. Don’t get into that “I-give-up-I-quit” attitude. Remain as positive as you can; surround yourself with positive people; look for all the resources available to you; and just get up and go,” Sonia said.

Posted by Gladys Alcedo, Communications Coordinator of Connecticut Food Bank

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