Day of Action to Collect Food Items for the Stamford Food Collaborative
STAMFORD, Conn. (11.9.2020) — United Way of Western Connecticut and community volunteers will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford this Saturday, November 14, from 10 am to 3 pm to collect nonperishable food items. All donations will benefit the Stamford Food Collaborative and its member pantries. Pantries are in desperate need of donations, as their shelves have been emptied by an overwhelming need for food as families face the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many Stamford families losing jobs or wages, and children home from school most of the time, many families have struggled to feed their children and put food on their tables.
WHAT: Community Food Drive to benefit the Stamford Food Collaborative. This activity is serving as United Way of Western Connecticut’s annual Stamford Day of Action for 2020. The donation process is CONTACT-FREE via drive through. Volunteers will remove donations from the trunk of donors’ vehicles. Donors do not need to get out of their vehicles.
WHEN: Saturday, November 14, 2020 from 10 am to 3 pm
WHERE: First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, 1101 Bedford St., Stamford, CT 06905
Those who prefer to make a monetary donation can visit the Stamford Food Collaborative website at https://www.uwwesternct.org/stamfordfoodcollaborative
CONTACT: For more information, contact Stacy Schulman at stacy.schulman@uwwesternct.org.
BACKGROUND: United Way’s Day of Action is an annual event that mobilizes thousands of volunteers to make a meaningful impact in more than 400 communities around the world. Day of Action launched in 2008 and participation has grown each year. This year, United Way of Western Connecticut’s Day of Action is being adjusted to honor social distancing protocols and to be conducted safely during this time of COVID-19. The 2020 Day of Action will benefit many struggling families in the Stamford community now facing food insecurity after losing their jobs or wages as a result of the pandemic.
The Stamford Food Collaborative was created in 2015 to bring food providers in Danbury together to address shared needs and to work to better serve people in our region facing food insecurity. Since its formation, the collaborative has improved the availability of fresh, healthy foods for struggling individuals and families by obtaining grants for refrigerators and freezers. Members include more than 20 food pantries and congregate meal providers. The collaborative also publishes A Guide to Accessing Food in Stamford in English and Spanish. United Way serves as the backbone organization for the collaborative.
“During this challenging year, Day of Action will look a little different,” said Isabel Almeida, President of United Way of Western Connecticut. “But the intent is the same—to help our neighbors in. The food pantries need to restock their shelves, and the Stamford Day of Action will bring the community together to make that happen.”