We could not serve our community without your help.
Bloomfield, CT
–
I am writing to update you on how Foodshare and our partner programs continue to meet the needs of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First and foremost, these past few weeks have shown the inspiring generosity and compassion of our food industry partners, our corporate partners and our community as a whole. In particular, I’d like to thank all of our staff and the amazing people who have signed up to volunteer their time. YOU are truly heroes and we could not serve our community without your help. In addition:
- Over the past four weeks, we have spent over $225,000 on purchased food... which is almost as much as we spent in all of last year alone. This is a major financial burden; but one that is necessary to meet to fill the gap left by a nationwide decrease in food donations.
- We have distributed more than 90,000 pounds of produce at special distributions sites in Hartford and New Britain over the past few weeks. Beginning Monday, we will host a weeklong drive-thru food distribution at Rentschler Field for our Greater Hartford neighbors.
- We asked our supporters for donations of homemade face masks to maintain CDC guidelines and support the health of our staff and network - and in one week we had more than 600 masks donated! Our food industry partners continue to support our increased need to the best of their ability by providing necessary funding and continued delivery of food.
- Our corporate and philanthropic partners have shown their support and we thank them for acknowledging the important need for continued funding in both the future and the long-term. In particular, we thank the Dalio Foundation, 4-CT, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Bank of America and Stop & Shop for their extremely generous donations.
- Our Mobile Foodshare program continues to operate, with only a few sites cancelled. For the safety of our community our sites are now following a pre-bagged grab and go model. To find a site near you text FOODSHARE to 85511.
Finally, as things evolve hour-to-hour and day-by-day, our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our staff, our volunteers, and of course the clients we serve. To that end, we continue to follow CDC guidelines by enforcing social distancing and requiring Foodshare personnel wear masks when working in our facility or out at one of our distribution sites.
These truly are unprecedented times, but please know that this crisis has brought us together. Foodshare remains committed to our community, and we will continue to fight through the financial and emotional strain because the need right now is REAL and it’s affecting all of our family and friends.
We will keep you posted on our response to this crisis as it unfolds and as we learn more. For up-to-date information please visit our website: www.foodshare.org/coronavirus.
Be well and be safe,
Jason Jakubowski
President & CEO
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 118,000 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 more than 11 million meals worth of food to a network of 280 local food pantries, meal programs, and Mobile Foodshare sites. And, because it takes more than food to end hunger, 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 and Instagram.
