United Way of Western Connecticut Announces $91,000 Investment in Food Access

Support will fund mobile food trucks, weekend food for children and local food guides in Danbury

 United Way of Western Connecticut (UWWC), in partnership with the Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation (MAVF) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., announced today that they will fund several initiatives to increase food access for ALICE^® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households. The funding announcement is part of a larger initiative that UWWC is taking on to address food security in greater Danbury, greater New Milford and Stamford. 

The Connecticut Food Bank will receive $46,000 through a grant from UWWC and MAVF to expand the Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry program to bring produce, proteins and other fresh foods to locations in Danbury, New Milford and Stamford.

Thanks to the generous support of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. for the third consecutive year, UWWC has received $25,000 to help fund organizations that provide weekend food backpacks given to children in need in the Danbury and Stamford public school systems. The Connecticut Food Bank and Filling in the Blanks are among those organizations. It also includes funding for two additional refrigeration units for food pantries in Danbury.

“When our Board of Directors, Council members and staff reviewed the findings of our ALICE community conversations and surveys, we were struck by the real need in our communities for families to have access to food,” said Cindy Merkle, Board President, UWWC. “We knew our neighbors were struggling, but I don’t think that we fully understood the extent to which working individuals in our communities have to make tough choices between paying bills and putting food on their tables to feed their families. By partnering with The CT Food Bank and Filling in the Blanks to bring more healthy food resources to the community, I know we can alleviate some of the financial struggles of our neighbors.”

The Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry will visit sites in Danbury, New Milford and Stamford on a monthly basis to serve working households living paycheck to paycheck. Additional community resources will be offered during the food distributions. The program is expected to launch in November. Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry locations and times are available at www.ctfoodbank.org/mobilepantry.

“We are grateful to United Way of Western Connecticut and the Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation for their investment in programs that will help us address food insecurity in Western Connecticut,” said Connecticut Food Bank CEO, Bernie Beaudreau. “Partnerships like this help to build stronger, healthier communities for all.”

UWWC spearheads Food Collaborative groups in Danbury and Stamford to address food security. UWWC is also providing funding of $10,000 to each food collaborative to support their efforts to make food more accessible in their communities. Each collaborative has a membership of nearly 20 representatives from food pantries, shelters, grocery stores and food banks. The Collaboratives have created food guides that provide clear information about access to food, organized daily and weekly food rescue efforts through Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, led corporate food drives, and jointly sought grants that have funded the purchase of new commercial refrigeration units.