Bloomfield, CT
–
As of today, Foodshare has received enough turkeys to provide Thanksgiving dinner to 8,057 Greater Hartford households. But that still leaves 7,277 families still in need of help this holiday season.
Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the Jack Bannan Memorial Turkey Trot for Foodshare. Many people from all over the region took time on this early frosty morning to visit us at the Simsbury Stop & Shop and contribute to the Turkey and Thirty Campaign. This included a family that drove an hour and a half from Woodstock, Connecticut. They arrived just after 5:30 a.m. in a pick-up truck filled with over 100 frozen turkeys.
“This was the third year this family from Woodstock has been bringing turkeys to help Foodshare feed our hungry neighbors. That’s over a 100 families who can now celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional dinner,” said Jason Jakubowski, president & CEO, Foodshare.
“I tend to be an emotional guy, and I started to cry. It was really a very, very moving experience that they drove this far – at the crack of dawn – to take care of other people,” said Al Marino, corporate and community giving manager, Foodshare.
The Jack Bannan Memorial Turkey Trot brought in over 2,300 turkeys and 13,325 pounds of nonperishable items.
Foodshare’s annual Turkey and Thirty Campaign features donation sites and special events right through November 21. For a complete list of locations, or to donate online, please visit ATurkeyand30.org. You can also call 860-856-HELP to donate by phone.
Upcoming Events:
- Back East Brewery: Friday, Nov. 17 from 4 pm-8 pm @ 1296 Blue Hills Ave. in Bloomfield. Donate a turkey to receive a free pint of any beer on tap!
- Bishops Corner West Hartford Drive: Sponsored by West Hartford Windows, Friday, Nov. 17 from 10 am-4 pm @ Big Y, 772 N. Main Street, in West Hartford.
- Columbus Boulevard Turkey Drive: Friday, Nov. 17 from 6:30 am-9:30 am @ 450 Columbus Blvd. in Hartford.
Keep up with Foodshare’s latest news on Twitter @Foodshare.
About Foodshare
Foodshare is leading an informed, coordinated response to hunger in our community. Foodshare is the Feeding America food bank serving Connecticut’s Hartford and Tolland Counties, where 127,000 people struggle with hunger. In partnership with the food industry, donors, community leaders and volunteers, Foodshare works to maximize access to nutritious food and other resources that support food security. Last year, Foodshare distributed 11.5 million meals worth of food to a network of 300 local partner programs including food pantries, shelters, and community kitchens. And, because hunger is bigger than food, Foodshare collaborates with anti-hunger organizations, policy makers, and the broader community to build effective solutions to end hunger.
Foodshare is changing what it means to be a food bank. For more information, visit www.foodshare.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
