Our new Mobile Foodshare truck is ready for its first day on the road with a full load of fresh veggies – radishes, carrots, cabbage, and more!
This truck was made possible thanks to the State of CT Nonprofit Grant Program. We are grateful for this generous support which will help Foodshare continue to provide reliable and healthy food assistance to our neighbors who struggle with hunger.
Mobile Foodshare is our pantry-on-wheels program that delivers fresh produce and other food to over 70 accessible community sites throughout Hartford and Tolland Counties.
Last year, Mobile Foodshare distributed 4.2 million pounds of food, three-quarters of which was fresh produce, and the average attendance was 16,800 people a month!
Click here to learn more about Mobile Foodshare in your community.
Many thanks to Carissa, our Communications VISTA, who recently spent time with Mobile Foodshare, and had this insightful commentary to share:
"Gary and I visited the North End of Hartford at the Salvation Army, followed by the Church of the Most High God. One of the things that stood out to me most was that many people were deterred by certain food items--particularly butternut squash--either because they didn't know how to prepare it, or squash wasn't a part of their cultural diet.
Upon hearing a volunteer share how to make butternut squash soup, a few people took her up on an offer to make them a batch. Other volunteers followed in suit, offering hesitant visitors new and different ways to prepare the vegetable, which resulted in even more people accepting the previously-abandoned food.
I think it's important to understand the cultural and religious diversity of the people we serve, recognizing that not all households prepare meals in the same way, using the same types of foods. It could help us provide better options and more nutritious meals for people living in a particular community."
As a learning-organization, Foodshare is always discovering new and innovative ways to more effectively nourish our neighbors. Over the years we have developed recipe cards and forged relationships with UCONN Dietetics to promote healthier eating habits. But there is much more that can be done and experiences like the one Carissa shared can help us further explore this work.
Do you have a story to share? Become a Foodshare guest blogger and use your experience to help change lives.
Carissa, a VISTA volunteer and the newest member of our Communications team, had an opportunity to ride along on a Mobile Foodshare truck. She had this to share about her experience:
“This morning I visited the Charter Oak Community Health Center with Mobile Foodshare driver, Gary Sherwood.We started off the run by loading the truck with fresh produce, bread, and pasta salad using forklifts from our warehouse. Once that process was completed, we closed up the truck doors, filled out the necessary paperwork for inventory, inspected the vehicle to make sure it was safe, and headed to Hartford. Gary and I chatted about our personal lives as well as people he’s met through the mobile sites that might be willing to share their experience with me. As we approached Charter Oak, there was already a crowd bent around the corner in anticipation.
Gary explained that it was always interesting squeezing the truck into the parking lot with all of the people and cars there, but once we parked, it would go smoothly.
Before I even opened my door, a crew of volunteers had already begun setting up the tables around the truck and unloading some of the boxes. I positioned myself at the end of the line handing out loaves of honey wheat bread, and our 350+ guests began coming through the line to receive whatever they needed. Leftover boxes were stacked for our clients to use for their groceries. The young man beside me effortlessly worked through his interactions in both English and Spanish, stacking unfilled boxes and grabbing full ones from the compartment behind us. What struck me about him is that he was also a client himself! His shopping cart was positioned next to the table with his own possessions inside. He wasn’t the only one either. Other volunteers came through the line to pick up what was left. What big, generous hearts they have!
Once our appointment was over and the remaining equipment was packed away, another volunteer approached me to talk about the significant impact this mobile site, as well as the others in the area, have on the people. They are always grateful for Foodshare’s services, he said, whether it was our dedicated SNAP office or the trucks. On our drive back to Foodshare, Gary pointed out the other nearby sites that will be visited.
Upon our return, he replenished the compartments with goods from the warehouse and replenished the disposable gloves while I compacted the remaining boxes and cleared out any garbage to make sure that the new pallets would fit and the food would be safely transported. Overall this was a successful, fun, and eye-opening trip, and I am so grateful I was able to experience it.”
Thanks to the West End #HungerActionTeam for putting together this wonderful flyer. If you know of anyone who lives in the area who could benefit from these services, please share!
As one of our organization’s longest-serving Mobile Foodshare drivers, Alan Prior is no stranger to hunger in our community--and while his role has him on the front lines of our food distribution work, he understands the importance of programs that go beyond the food.
At one of our sites, hosted by the Community Renewal Team (CRT), Alan met a woman who had spent the previous night in a shelter because she couldn’t afford to heat her home. Not only was she forced to cut utilities from the budget, but she also struggled to access food on a regular basis. Although biweekly visits to the Mobile Foodshare truck helped, she didn’t know how long her young daughter could endure these hardships.
After listening to this woman's story, Alan introduced her to the site coordinator who was able to enroll her in an energy assistance program. Some time later she returned with good news--since receiving assistance from CRT, she hadn’t spent another night in a shelter. Using the direct services offered by Mobile Foodshare--nutritious food crucial to her own health, but especially her daughter’s growth and development--and the program’s connections to wrap-around services, she and her daughter were already on their way to financial stability.
A wonderful video from the American Heart Association stressing the importance of access to healthy food in Hartford!
Did you know? There are so many wonderful options for those seeking affordable, fresh produce in Hartford, especially during the summer months. Many farmers' markets even accept SNAP benefits.
Consider these:
For those needing to stretch those dollars even further, Mobile Foodshare provides plenty of perishable food options for low-income families, free of charge! Learn More >
State Senator Steve Cassano joined the Mobile Foodshare truck in
Glastonbury on Wednesday to help distribute fresh produce and bread to
constituents in his district. He distributed bags of sweet potatoes to
114 local residents.
Mobile Foodshare delivers free
produce to those in need at First Church of Christ Congregational,
located at 2183 Main Street, every other Wednesday at 10:15 a.m.
For additional information about the Mobile Foodshare program that serves Hartford and Tolland Counties, please visit our website or call Foodshare at 860-286-9999.
It’s 7:30 a.m. on President’s Day, and Foodshare driver Alan Prior is loading potatoes onto one of the agency’s two Mobile Foodshare trucks for the day’s deliveries. Today’s plan: deliver to three Hartford-area locations, where volunteers will be waiting to help distribute fresh produce and bread.
That volunteer commitment will be appreciated more than usual today, because it’s bitterly cold outside. Temperatures have been in the single digits for days in Greater Hartford, raising one of the big issues for millions of Americans who deal with hunger and food insecurity — do I use my limited resources to buy food, or to heat my home?
In weather conditions such as this, you realize just what a difficult choice that is.
But the volunteers are out and waiting for the truck when it pulls into the parking lot at Cambridge Park Apartments in Bristol, just before 9 a.m. Inside is produce donated to Foodshare — fruits and veggies that would have gone to waste mostly because it didn’t fit into the complicated supply logistics of the food wholesale system.
Usually, Prior says, there’s a line queued up for the truck. In the summer at some afternoon stops, clients will line up for hours for a delivery, he says. Foodshare distributes 5 million pounds of produce annually, and 3 million pounds of that goes to the community through the Mobile Foodshare program.
With the truck parked and open for business, groups of three and four clients make their way to the truck from the nearby apartments or from the parked cars where they’ve been keeping warm. They bring their own shopping bags or small carts and make their way around the truck, collecting beets, potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes apples and a loaf of bread. They chat with the volunteers and most say “thank you” before heading on their way.
Prior says a lot has changed since the program started. “We did a lot of bulk produce drops at first," he recalls. “We’d build a pallet, drop it at the site and leave.”
But that left distribution to the community-based volunteer organizations that partner with Foodshare to help solve hunger in Hartford and Tolland counties. That was harder on the volunteers, and it wasn’t as efficient.
The mobile food trucks, made possible by the Chase Family Foundations, make the experience easier. Each produce item has its own compartment along the side, and in one full lap, clients can stock up and be on their way. It takes just 45 minutes to distribute the contents to a crowd of 300-400 clients, Prior says.
Furthermore, it gives the community coordinators the chance to meet with the clients. This way, Prior explains, “It’s like the community serving the community.”
With the delivery over, it’s back into the cab for the next stop.
Yes, it’s really cold, Prior agrees. “But we served 28 people. Twenty-eight people came out in that weather. Isn’t that cool?”
Rep. Simanski is shown here along with Diana Goode, President of Gifts
of Love pantry (center) and Sarah Santora, Foodshare Community
Involvement Manager (left).
State Representative Bill Simanski joined the Mobile Foodshare truck in Granby to help distribute fresh healthy produce to constituents from his hometown and district. The Mobile Foodshare truck brings free produce to those in need at South Congregational Church on Salmon Brooke Street every other Tuesday from noon to 12:30 pm. Granby is also served by the Farmington Valley Hunger Action Team, a group meeting to solve hunger locally in the Farmington Valley. For information on joining the team contact Bea Maslowski, Community Network Builder at Foodshare, by calling 860-286-9999 x180.
The United Congregational Church of Tolland (UCCT) was delighted when Rev. Jeff Gallagher approached the pulpit with orange spiked hair on Sunday, October 4. The change in appearance announced that the congregation had reached its goal of 200 participants in the Foodshare SNAP Challenge. During September's Hunger Action Month, in partnership with Foodshare and the Tri-Town Hunger Action Team, The Missions Committee of UCCT challenged folks to try and live on $4.40 per day - the average amount received by those eligible for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps).
This was the second year that UCC Tolland participated in the SNAP Challenge. In 2014, 100 volunteers took the challenge and raised $2,000 for Foodshare. This year, there were 200 participants who raised a total of $3,082.43 for Foodshare!
UCCT is about lifting the stigma that keeps families from accepting support in the form of SNAP benefits, fuel assistance, food pantries and other social services that are meant to help us during times of crisis. We have come to realize that we must combat hunger not just through a donation, but through education and compassion said Rev. Judy Medeiros. The United Congregational Church is proud to be a site for the Mobile Foodshare program that brings fresh produce to their parking lot for distribution every other Thursday from 9-9:30 a.m.
James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare President and
C.E.O.
Tim LeGeyt, State Representative for
Avon and Canton
Sarah Santora, Community
Involvement Mgr, Foodshare
UCONN Dietetics students distributing healthy recipe
cards
Tim LeGeyt, State Representative for Avon and
Canton
Diana Goode Executive Director, Gifts of Love
Avon
James Arena-DeRosa, Foodshare President and C.E.O.
State Representative Tim LeGeyt visited a Mobile Foodshare site in
Avon to talk with constituents, help distribute fresh food and to meet
Foodshare’s new President and CEO James Arena-DeRosa. The site
distributes food to more than 70 people in need every other Tuesday from
10:00 – 10:30 am at the American Muslim Center, 35 Harris Road, Avon.
The next distribution will be on November 3rd. Avon Social Services and
Gifts of Love also help to coordinate the site.
Rep.
LeGeyt has been a longtime friend of Foodshare, joining us at Mobile
Foodshare each year and staying in touch with the Farmington Valley
Hunger Action Team.
If you are interested in learning more about fighting hunger in the Farmington Valley, contact Bea Maslowski, Foodshare Community Network Builder at (860) 286-9999 x180.
State Representative Mark Tweedie (in the red hat) with volunteers in Manchester
The line of people needing food began forming 30 minutes before Foodshare’s Mobile truck arrived on a freezing Tuesday morning in March. State Representative Mark Tweedie visited the MACC distribution site (across from Saint Bridget Church) in Manchester to learn more about Foodshare and our efforts to distribute more food in Tolland County.
Representative Tweedie was elected in November, serving the 13th district which includes part of Manchester and part of Glastonbury. Prior to serving in the state legislature he owned a small business, Tweedie Dental Arts, LLC which created custom dental prosthetics such as crowns and bridges. In his current role, Representative Tweedie serves on the Appropriations, Environment and Veteran’s Affairs committees.
Foodshare looks forward to working with Representative Tweedie to fight hunger in the 13th District!
Changes made to government-subsidized school meals by the Obama administration to get children to eat more fruits are working, according to a new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at UConn. The study found that between 2012, when the changes took effect, through 2014, the percentage of students choosing fruit on a cafeteria line increased to 66% from 54%. Perhaps more important, children threw away less food now than before. Students are now eating 84% of their entrees, not including fruit, up from 71% before the new guidelines were put in place, thus decreasing the amount of food waste. Many critics of the new guidelines had claimed that children were throwing food away because they were being forced to eat more nutritious, but less desirable, meals.
Did you know that last year, over one-third of the food distributed by Foodshare was fresh produce? Thanks to food industry donors, the Mobile Foodshare program is able to get nutritious food directly into the neighborhoods where it is needed most!
As a Feeding America partner, we too understand the importance of providing the healthiest food we can when it is available. Last year Foodshare distributed 5 million pounds of
produce (the equivalent of nearly 4.2 million meals) thanks to wonderful donations received through many of our food industry partners.
This also would not be possible without your donations, which directly support programs like Mobile Foodshare and Retail Pick-up. Thank you for helping to make Greater Hartford a healthier and happier community for us all!
A new report was recently prepared by the Northeast Hunger Action Team (HAT), covering the Northeast neighborhood in Hartford -- considered to be one of the poorest neighborhoods in the state. This report included surveying 394 people from five food pantries and two Mobile Foodshare sites in that neighborhood – in short, people who rely on Foodshare.
Here are just a few findings:
53% use SNAP, and 41% use Mobile Foodshare
68% have low or very low food security
over 50% eat rice/bread/cereal; meat/fish/eggs; vegetables and milk/yogurt/cheese daily, which we believe to be, in part, thanks to our Mobile Foodshare operations and the food we offer to our partner food pantries.
76% of participants have identified one or more support services that they or someone in their home is interested in so that they may become more self-sufficient. The top 2 support services needed are: job training; and resume & job interview assistance.
The Northeast HAT will next share these results with local businesses and food store owners at a Business Owner’s Breakfast Meeting in April to capture their ideas as to how to eliminate hunger in the neighborhood. They will also be sharing the results at the five food pantries and two Mobile Foodshare sites where the surveys were taken.
On Tuesday January 27, Foodshare will be closed because of the weather. All Mobile Foodshare distributions for that day are also cancelled. You can view our complete Mobile Foodshare calendar online at anytime.
The farewell party for Gloria McAdam scheduled for Thursday evening is, at this point, still expected to happen, but please watch this space for updates as we get a better sense of the storm’s aftermath.
Yesterday, we said goodbye to one of our summer interns, Alisha
Mosher. She did everything at Foodshare, from cleaning the warehouse to
creating materials for our education programs. What was really remarkable was
how she was eager and enthusiastic to do any task that was handed to her. Even
on her last day, she was out on a Mobile Foodshare run.
We sent her off in traditional Foodshare fashion with a “swag bag” and a small
party. Even then she was still asking what she could do to help!
She is off to Oregon for the year, and we all wish her the best
and we look forward for her next East Coast visit!
Are you looking for opportunities to get even more involved? We have internship positions throughout the organization, and we are always looking for more volunteers to further the Movement!
Foodshare Director of Development, Wendy Kohn, who spends most of her time fundraising, got the chance to get out of the office and meet some of the people we serve last week. She sent me this note and these photos about her experience:
"Last week, I got to get out of my regular routine and go out with the Mobile Foodshare program for an afternoon. (Yes, it’s true, every once in a while us fundraising types get out of our cubicles and go outside for longer than it takes to get to our car to go to a meeting. I know, most people don’t believe it happens, but it does. Really.)
"Since many of our regular volunteers are on vacation this month, I jumped at the chance to go out to a couple Mobile sites to help out. To be able to meet people and share food and recipes, to hear people’s happiness about getting lettuce and carrots and cucumbers so they can make their families a lovely summer salad, to see a kid’s face when she and her brother get a yummy yogurt… it makes all the work we do behind the scenes worthwhile, knowing that food is going to people who need it."
We handed out yogurt, romaine lettuce, bread, potatoes, onions, carrots, and cucumbers. Everything was so fresh!
The dieticians from St. Joseph’s University had their table set up, as usual (they come to many Mobile Foodshare sites on a regular basis). They are a wonderful resource for people, providing information on nutrition and dietary needs, and they are so dedicated.
I got to head out with Alan Prior, one of our awesome Mobile truck drivers. He’s the best! (except for all the other drivers who are also the best. Because our drivers are just awesome!)
Would you like to volunteer with Foodshare to help get healthy food to people in need? We can't guarantee you a seat on the Mobile Foodshare truck, since it's our most sought after volunteer job, but we do have plenty of other volunteer jobs that need filling and will help keep those trucks supplied and on the road! Learn more here or contact our Volunteer Coordinator to learn more.
Yesterday State Senator Joe Markley joined Mobile Foodshare hosted at The Tabernacle in Southington. Senator Markley has been a long time Foodshare supporter, joining us on three occasions in the last four years, at Mobile Foodshare in the summer heat and at Thanksgiving activities in the cool of November. As a member of the Health and Human Services Committee at the State General Assembly, he has a strong interest in making sure government agencies work together effectively, work well with their nonprofit partners, and are responsive to the needs of the people they serve.
We look forward to working with Senator Markley in the coming months and welcome other local, state or federal legislators to join us at Mobile Foodshare and meet the people we serve! Click hereto learn more about Mobile Foodshare. And contact Sarah at Foodshare if you would like to invite your state legislator or town official to visit Mobile Foodshare and learn about the needs in your town.
A portion of this award will help us distribute more produce through the MobileFoodshare program, and another portion will help us distribute more frozen meat through our rapidly growing Meat the Need Program.Thank you to everybody at CHEFA for your ongoing support of Foodshare’s work to solve hunger!
To learn about how you can help solve hunger, you can start by Joining the Movement here.
This truck was made possible thanks to the State of CT Nonprofit Grant Program. We are grateful for this generous support which will help Foodshare continue to provide reliable and healthy food assistance to our neighbors who struggle with hunger. 
