Metropolitan AME Zion Church Show of Support

This month, the Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Hartford, held their Christmas Concert to benefit Foodshare. Our President and CEO, James Arena-DeRosa had the opportunity to speak with attendees about our work, sharing how fellow church members could stay involved in fighting hunger here at home.

Thanks to to their overwhelming generosity, we will be able to provide over 3,000 meals for our hungry neighbors this winter and get people connected with longer-term support through programs like SNAP, school breakfast and lunch programs.

Thank you Metropolitan AME Zion for supporting Foodshare this holiday season!

Foodshare Welcomes New VP of Development

Earlier this week, Foodshare's President and CEO, James Arena-DeRosa, along with all other staff members welcomed our new Vice President of Development, Diana Goode. Diana happily mingled with staff over coffee and bagels along with other light refreshments.

Before joining Foodshare as a fellow staff member, Diana had already  been strongly connected to our  mission as Executive Director of Gifts of Love Inc, one of Foodshare's partner agencies. Diana has also been a devoted member of Foodshare's Strategic Implementation Committee.

As VP of Development, Diana will primarily be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that meet and enhance Foodshare's budget through solicitation and stewardship of individual and institutional donors.

Welcome to the team Diana!

Birthday Gift Puts Food On The Table

The Minkos Family & James

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Minkos family of Glastonbury, visited Foodshare to make a very special donation.

For Max’s seventh birthday he asked his friends to make a donation to Foodshare instead of buying him gifts and toys. He got this great idea from his older sister, Ania, who did the same thing when she turned six. We are excited to announce that the $240 Max collected in lieu of gifts for his birthday, will provide 600 meals for our hungry neighbors!

Max, thank you for helping Foodshare! We encourage you to continue to be a leader in hunger-prevention across Greater Hartford!

Service of Lessons and Carols...Take Two

For those of who wanted the opportunity to join our President and CEO James Arena-DeRosa at a Christmas Concert to benefit Foodshare, here's your chance. The Metropolitan AME Zion Church has rescheduled their "Service of Lessons and Carols" concert for January 14 from 4-6pm.

We hope to see you there!

The Attorney General Supports Care & Share

James, Attorney General George Jepsen, and fellow staff members

This morning, James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare's President and CEO accepted a check and 210 lbs. of non-perishable items, from Attorney General George Jepsen. James stopped by the Attorney General's office to express his gratitude towards him and his fellow staff members for successfully collecting over $2,000 to support our work alleviating hunger across Greater Hartford!

The money was raised through a OAG Silent Auction which benefits the Governor's 

Care & Share campaign.

Thank you Attorney General Jepsen and all your fellow staff members for your continued efforts to fight hunger here in Connecticut!

Meals Were Driven In Thanks to Hoffman Honda

Once again, The CT Honda Dealers Association held their annual Honda Against Hunger campaign. The campaign supported hungry neighbors of both Foodshare and the CT Food Bank.

Thanks to the hard work of all Honda employees and members of the association, they successfully collected 1,855 lbs. of food to help those in need.

Last week,  James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare's President & CEO, and Bernard J. Beaudreau,
CT Food Bank's President and CEO, expressed their appreciation of the campaign's accomplishment to Matthew Hoffman,Vice President of Hoffman Honda. 

The appreciation was conveyed through a Public Service Announcement recorded at Foodshare's warehouse. 

Thank you to the CT Honda Dealers for your longtime support of Foodshare's mission!

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A Service of Lessons and Carols

Cancelled due to inclement weather. We will let you know if/when this is rescheduled. 

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Join James Arena-DeRosa, our President, for a Christmas concert to benefit Foodshare this Saturday!

Free Spirits Lift Spirits

Along with serving up spirits, Back East Brewery, Waypoint Spirits, and Olde Burnside Brewing provided our hungry neighbors with a serving of hope this Thanksgiving.

Thank you to all the breweries for your support this holiday season!

              View photos >

Turkeys Hit The West End

There was a cheerful and giving spirit in West Hartford recently.

Thanks to Peter Chenette, a long-time friend of Foodshare, the Joseph family-owned ShopRite, and local residents, a total of 62 turkeys and $3,573 was collected to provide our hungry neighbors with a Thanksgiving meal this holiday season!

Recap of Turkey Tuesday Success

If you happened to be on Asylum Street in downtown Hartford on Tuesday you may have noticed the crowds gathering around CityPlace. Bank of America’s Turkey Tuesday returned for its 18th year, with support from UnitedHealthcare, Optum Technologies, Stop & Shop and, of course, Brad Davis. WDRC’s Talk of Connecticut broadcast live from the lobby, attracting generous donations of turkeys and cash in support of Foodshare’s Turkey and Thirty Campaign.

Live interviews included James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare President & CEO, Governor Malloy, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, among others.

One of our newest team members, Dyani, was amazed by what she saw:

"The fact that I was able to see a mix of corporate employees, local residents, and media organizations come together, to contribute to a cause such as hunger was mesmerizing and touching. This event clearly illustrates how people from all walks of life can join together to build a better, stronger community."

Employees from UnitedHealthcare and Bank of America volunteered all morning, collecting donations. Among many individual and corporate donations, Foodshare was very thankful to receive 220 turkeys from Hoffman Auto Group, 200 turkeys from LAZ Parking,160 turkeys from Rogo Distributors, and 52 turkeys from Bouvier Insurance. Macca Plumbing also checked in with $4,502!

“We are so grateful for such passionate and committed partners,” said James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare President & CEO. “Today’s drive secured 629 turkeys and over $24,000 to support our neighbors who have asked for help this holiday season.”

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Farmington Valley Turkey Trot Underway

Before sunrise residents of the Farmington Valley, along with WFSB's own turkey Scot Haney, gathered to kick off the Jack Bannan Memorial Turkey Trot. Jack Bannan was a POW who personally experienced hunger. In his memory, his daughter Marianne continues the drive that he started over two decades ago!

Generous donors came from near and far to see WFSB’s Scot Haney, bringing with them the spirit of the holiday season—many of them sharing stories as former recipients. Before the drive officially kicked off at 8:00 a.m., more than 1,400 turkeys had been collected, including 1,000 from Stop & Shop and 52 from UA Local 777 Plumbers and Pipe Fitters.  Committed partners from all over the region—such as Billy Grant Restaurant Group, iCare and even Buttonball Elementary in Glastonbury—have returned this year in support of Foodshare’s Turkey and Thirty campaign, featuring donation sites and special events through November 22.

The beginning of the trot was also fluttered with cash donations, including: Chubb Insurance-$1,700, People's Bank-$1,000, Aerodyne Alloys-$500, and Valley Collector Car Club-$500.

The Turkey Trot continues until 8 p.m. this evening with locations across the Farmington Valley.To learn how and where you can donate, visit www.aturkeyand30.org or call 860-856-HELP to donate by phone.

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Foodshare Receives Check from 360 Federal Credit Union

Just recently, Foodshare President & CEO, James Arena-DeRosa accepted a check from 360 Federal Credit Union in the amount of $2,000!

This past summer the credit union held a challenge through their community savings program, for community members to refinance their loans from other financial institutions. The goal was to save the community $350,000, and from that pool $6,000 was given to three charity organizations chosen by members of the community.  Foodshare received 2nd place.

Thank you to the 360 Federal Credit Union, all those who voted for us, and for supporting our hungry neighbors!

Gottfried and Somberg Has Allowed the Movement to Grow

Bright and early this morning Foodshare's President & CEO, James Arena-DeRosa accepted a gift in the amount of $6,500 from Gottfried and Somberg, a wealth-mangement company located in Glastonbury. The company's founders, clients, and  members of their Commonwealth Network contributed to the pool of money that normally goes toward a client picnic. It was instead given in support of Foodshare's mission!

In addition to their gift, the organization decided  to help feed our hungry neighbors by volunteering in our warehouse throughout the year!

Check out photos >

A Word of Thanks from our President & CEO

To Foodshare’s loyal supporters,

No matter how you feel about the last few days, you should be proud of your commitment to the issues you believe in.

The truth remains: regardless of personal politics, we all deeply rely on one another to make this world work for everyone.

“There is potential to do a lot of good for our community and help a lot of people. Working together gives us an opportunity to achieve an outcome that is far more than the sum of our individual parts.”

Those words belong to Chris, a helper and hunger-fighting activist I met recently. Chris and his family were living with hunger after their triplets were born, but thanks to the support of the community, they rose up from a very difficult situation. His family is living proof that when we come together, there is nothing we can’t solve, and no limit to the good we can do.

I thank you for every gift of your hard-earned money that puts food on the table for your struggling neighbors. And I thank you for every hour of time you have worked on the issue of hunger, or discussed it with the people who mean the world to you.

After leading the efforts on hunger relief and prevention in Greater Hartford for nearly 35 years, we know one thing for certain – this work requires the efforts of everyone. It is only together that we can make every challenge attainable, and it is your actions each and every day that make the biggest difference.

This Thanksgiving, let’s remember we all have much to be thankful for. Foodshare remains strong and stable and at work in your community – because of you. Thank you for supporting what you deeply believe in, and for being a helper.


My best wishes,




James Arena-DeRosa
President & CEO

NBC Connecting you to Joy

"So proud to be appearing  with Chris Woodward on TV this morning. His family went through some challenging times and they needed some assistance from a Foodshare partner - the Newington food pantry. Chris is now back at work, his family is doing well, and he is an active member of the Newington Hunger Action Team,  helping others to overcome temporary challenges in their lives."

 ~James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare President & CEO

You can join NBC Connecticut in connecting thousands of our neighbors to joy--and a turkey--this Thanksgiving. Stop by our Turkey and Thirty drive next Saturday, November 12 from 9am-noon at the Big Y in Manchester, or find a location closer to home by visiting www.ATurkeyand30.org. 

H.O.G Run kicked off 2016 Turkey and Thirty Campaign

This past weekend 69 riders belonging to the Hartford Harley Owners' Group (H.O.G) rode in with a generous gift of 42 turkeys and $2,615 in honor of the group's 22nd Annual H.O.G Turkey Run. This event kicked off Foodshare's annual Turkey and Thirty campaign.

Following the ride, participants mingled over a cup of cider and donuts with Foodshare's President & CEO, James Arena-DeRosa.

H.O.G riders had the opportunity to win prizes in a raffle, led by the group's coordinator, Will Little, resulting in additional dollars raised to support our hungry neighbors!

Check out more photos >

Staff at Foodshare Comes Together to Give Thanks

 

It’s that time of year when family and friends gather together to celebrate all they have to be thankful for. The staff at Foodshare enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving meal today as a reminder of what they hope to accomplish in the weeks ahead. 

 



As employees prepare for a month-long campaign to provide all of our hungry neighbors with a seat at the table this holiday season, Foodshare’s President and CEO, James Arena-DeRosa, offered his thanks to the rest of the team:

 
“This is a big time of year for Foodshare. We have received turkey requests from 15,871 neighbors this year. It’s going to get busy, it’s going to get crazy, but I know we will have a great month because of all of you.”

While our Turkey and Thirty campaign officially kicked off today, there are already 42 birds in the freezer. Thanks to the Hartford Harley Owners’ Group, dozens of riders arrived at Foodshare on Sunday bearing gifts of turkeys and cash in honor of the group’s 22^nd Annual H.O.G. Turkey Run.

Foodshare will be accepting Turkey and Thirty donations all month long—with the first official community drive happening at Big Y in West Hartford this Friday. Frozen turkeys donated by November 21 will ensure families celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving meal, while financial gifts will put food on the table beyond the holiday, so that Foodshare can continue to be a leader in hunger prevention across Greater Hartford. 

For a complete list of donation sites, or to make your gift online, please visit ATurkeyand30.org.

Congressman Larson Visits Foodshare!

Today, Foodshare's CEO, James Arena-Derosa had a visit with one of Connecticut's renowned state officials Congressman Larson. Congressman Larson was given a tour of the facility led by our Community Involvement team, followed by an informal meet & greet with other Foodshare staff members. 

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Day 6: #SchoolBreakfastChallenge

   
Ate breakfast today
 
Off to New Britain where 100% of the kids get school breakfast every day! Kudos to the former administrators like Ron Jakubowski who worked for years to make this happen. Special thanks to Principal Elaine Cabral for hosting our visit and to 2nd grade teacher Ms. Ancher for inviting us into her classroom at Lincoln elementary. They both noted that starting breakfast in the classroom in New Britain was a bit of a journey––with some initial resistance––but now everyone embraces it as part of their daily routine. 

Zuraia, a precocious 2nd grader, had my number before I had my coat off. She called me over, “Hey Mister, sit with me for breakfast!” So much for worrying I would be an intimidating presence in the classroom. 

I was immediately struck by the beehive of activity and things moving like clockwork. When administrators are asked to consider breakfast they, along with the janitorial staff and teachers, are typically most concerned with logistics. But if they were to visit Lincoln Elementary in New Britain, they would see there is nothing to worry about. Each kid grabs their own pre-packaged meal provided by the food service team––a few minutes of breakfast and social time, some milk, some juice and a banana muffin. When finished, each child would clean up using a special trash (to avoid smell throughout the day), say the pledge of allegiance and move on to their math assignment. 

One young boy Jayden was very proud..."watch me do math," and it was great to see another little girl helping a classmate with his assignment. Ever the professor I couldn’t resist sitting with a kid who was stuck on a problem to help him figure it out. I have written in the blog about studies that often demonstrate the efficacy of school breakfast. But stats aside you can see it in the energy and excitement as the kids start their day. 

Before leaving I had an interesting sidebar with the food service person from Whitsons, Mike Koch. They serve 3,500 meals a week in just this one school (that's over 100,000 in one year!). We started doing that math on meals served system-wide...dollars into the economy...jobs. I often speak of the business case for solving hunger. Food is such a basic need and providing it to people who are struggling can certainly improve health outcomes, but it also provides so many communal benefits. It’s hard not to think of the possibilities in Hartford and the almost million dollars a year the city leaves on the table in potential USDA funding for school breakfast. 

This brings my #SchoolBreakfastChallenge to a close. It was an invaluable experience, and I think that next year for Hunger Action Month we may invite more Foodshare staff to participate. I have mentioned several times that this experience will never match the realities of living in poverty––I think it's really important that I make this clear. I will go back to my routine, starting each day with a healthy breakfast...not worrying about whether I will have lunch or dinner. For me, this challenge served as a reminder that we can do better...that 1 out of every 2 kids should never have to struggle in school because they are too hungry too focus. 

Now I put forth a challenge to you. Lincoln Financial––a proud partner in the fight against hunger––has provided generous support for initial planning and conversations, but we still need a lot more to maximize our impact on this issue. We need your help to answer the question, "What can we do together to leverage the million dollars a year that the City of Hartford leaves on the table for school breakfast, and how can we help other communities in Hartford and Tolland counties expand their school breakfast program?"

 

James Arena-DeRosa, President & CEO

 
Join the conversation by commenting below or sharing your thoughts on social media. Don't forget to tag @Foodshare and use the hashtag #SchoolBreakfastChallenge.


You can also follow my fellow CEO at the Connecticut Food Bank, Bernie Beaudreau, as he shares his SNAP Challenge experience this week.

Day 5: #SchoolBreakfastChallenge

   
No breakfast today
 
No breakfast for the third day in a row, and it's Monday! After a weekend away from work, we all struggle to push through the Monday morning grind. So what about kids who haven’t eaten well and who face yet another morning without breakfast? 

Under our current education system, learning is a group experience. It is important to note here that school breakfast helps ALL children...not just those who happen to come from poor families. Many parents send their kids to school well fed and raring to go, but it only takes a few cranky kids to disrupt an entire classroom. If your neighbors’ kids are hungry it affects what and how your kids learn in class.

In one of my earlier jobs I ran the public affairs program for Secretary of State. As part of my job I used to visit schools to talk about roles and responsibilities as citizens, the importance of voting, access to public information...for the most part it was a great experience and (hopefully) the kids gained something from it. I remember one specific morning with a group of 10 year old kids––several were cranky and fidgety, and a couple even asked me if I had food. Not having food to start the day changes everything. You don’t have to take the #SchoolBreakfastChallenge to feel that...try skipping coffee one morning and see how you do!

I sometimes hear, "Parents should feed their own kids breakfast every day at home.” Wouldn’t that be lovely? I’ve also read about America in the 1950s––one parent made enough money to support the entire family, while the other  parent stayed home to make sure everyone had breakfast before heading to school and work. Most parents I talk to, regardless of economic level, talk about “chaos in the morning.” I wonder how many times my boys went off to school without breakfast...and it wasn't a lack of desire or resources. So, if the numbers work and all kids can have breakfast in school, why not help the entire classroom?

Heading into the home stretch now...only a couple of days to go, but I know when this is all over I will have breakfast each morning. So, while I can empathize with all those for whom hunger is a way of life, I will never fully understand the uncertainty kids must face during these difficult times. 

 

James Arena-DeRosa, President & CEO

Day 6 >

 
Join the conversation by commenting below or sharing your thoughts on social media. Don't forget to tag @Foodshare and use the hashtag #SchoolBreakfastChallenge.


You can also follow my fellow CEO at the Connecticut Food Bank, Bernie Beaudreau, as he shares his SNAP Challenge experience this week.