Tag Archives: Food Drive

11th Annual Emergency of Hunger Food Drive!

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HARTFORD COURANT

by Jesse Leavenworth

Kyle Caldwell, left, and Dave Tedeschi, emergency medical technicians with Ambulance Service of Manchester, at the 2013 Emergency of Hunger Food Drive.

Kyle Caldwell, left, and Dave Tedeschi, emergency medical technicians with Ambulance Service of Manchester, at the 2013 Emergency of Hunger Food Drive. (Courtesy of Ambulance Service of Manchester)

First responders and other volunteers in Manchester, South Windsor and Vernon will be collecting food and cash donations to stock area food pantries, starting in Manchester on Saturday and Sunday.

Coordinated by the Ambulance Service of Manchester, the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive is in its 11th year. This year, Highland Park Market is joining the effort, hosting collections at the Manchester store, food drive spokesman Patrick Gleason said.

Along with police officers, firefighters and ambulance crews, participants include the Manchester Area Conference of Churches, Hockanum Valley Community Council, South Windsor Food and Fuel Bank, Police Explorers and Rotary Club members.

On Saturday and Sunday, volunteers will be collecting turkeys, chickens, non-perishable food items, cash and gift cards at Highland Park Market, 317 Highland St., and Stop & Shop supermarket, 318 West Middle Turnpike. Collections on both days are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Collections are to continue on Nov. 23 and 24 at both Manchester locations and at the South Windsor Stop & Shop, 1739 Ellington Road; Geissler’s supermarket in South Windsor, 965 Sullivan Ave.; Stop & Shop in Vernon, 10 Pitkin Road; and the Stop & Shop in the Rockville section of Vernon, 50 Windsorville Road.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com

ASM Teams up with Bob’s Discount Furniture to benefit MACC Charities

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MANCHESTER- On December 19th, 2018 Ambulance Service of Manchester EMTs Russ Jones and Kyle Caldwell teamed up with Animatronic Bob for the 2nd annual Bob’s Discount Furniture Food Drive. The event was coordinated by MACC Charities Director & CEO Beth Stafford.

Aetna Participates in Wethersfield First Responder Food Drive

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Wethersfield- On Sunday, November 11th 2018, Aetna employees attended a Food Drive at Stop and Shop (1380 Berlin Tpke) hosted by Wethersfield PD, FD and EMS. Greg Kendall and Madison Nixon teamed up with members of the Wethersfield agencies to collect goods for donation to the local food bank at event end.

10th Annual Emergency of Hunger Food Drive!

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HARTFORD COURANT

by Jesse Leavenworth

First responders and food pantry managers gathered at the MACC Community Kitchen Monday to kick off the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive.

Collections of turkeys, non-perishable food items, cash and gift cards are scheduled for the next two weekends at supermarkets in Manchester, Vernon and South Windsor.

The effort relies on the public’s generosity and volunteers from police, fire and emergency medical agencies, along with Rotary Club members and Stop & Shop and Geissler’s supermarkets. Collections benefit clients of soup kitchens and food pantries, including those run by Manchester Area Conference of Churches Charities and the Hockanum Valley Community Council.

Items needed, in particular, include canned vegetables, condiments, sugar, flour, coffee, tea and cocoa. Cash donations and gift cards also are welcome, food drive spokesman Patrick Gleason of Ambulance Service of Manchester said.

Last year, the drive netted 31,276 food items, 675 turkeys and cash and gift card donations totaling about $16,000. Each year, participating agencies challenge each other to collect the most donations. Losers this year have agreed to work at the winner’s food pantry or soup kitchen, Gleason said.

Collections are set for:

_ Friday and Saturday and Nov. 17 and 18 at Manchester Stop & Shop, 286 Broad St., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day;

_ Stop & Shop in Vernon, 10 Pitkin Road, Nov. 17 and 18, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day;

_ Stop & Shop in the Rockville section of Vernon, 50 Windsorville Road, Nov. 17 and 18, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day;

_ Stop & Shop in South Windsor, 1739 Ellington Road, Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.;

_ And Geissler’s Supermarket, South Windsor, 965 Sullivan Ave., Nov. 17 and 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

9th Annual Emergency of Hunger Food Drive!

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Emergency response agency and food pantry representatives gathered Tuesday at the Manchester Area Conference of Churches Food Pantry to kick off the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive

HARTFORD COURANT

by Jesse Leavenworth

First responders again are collecting food to stock regional soup kitchens and pantries.

The first collection for the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive is set for Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Manchester Stop & Shop, 286 Broad St. The effort is to continue the following weekend.

Now in its ninth year, the drive relies on volunteers from police, fire and emergency medical agencies, along with Rotary Club members and Stop & Shop and Geissler’s supermarkets. Collections benefit clients of soup kitchens and food pantries run by Manchester Area Conference of Churches Charities and the Hockanum Valley Community Council.

Last year, people donated about 34,000 food items, 650 turkeys and $16,000 in gift cards and cash.

“Every year we are shocked, amazed and proud of the generosity we see,” food drive spokesman Patrick Gleason of Ambulance Service of Manchester said Monday. “To date, our records show a combined total of 1,149,000 meals served.”

Full article here…

The food drive will take place on the following days at the locations provided below:

  • Manchester – Stop & Shop (286 Broad Street) Saturday November 11th and Sunday November 12th from 10am -6pm
  • Manchester – Stop & Shop (286 Broad Street) Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th from 10am -6pm
  • Vernon – Stop & Shop (10 Ptikin Road) Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th from 10am -6pm
  • Rockville – Stop & Shop (50 Windsorville Road) Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th from 10am -6pm
  • South Windsor – Stop & Shop (1739 Ellington Road) Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th from 10am -6pm
  • South Windsor – Geissler’s (965 Sullivan Avenue) Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th from 10am -6pm

Aetna Participates in Wethersfield First Responder Food Drive

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Wethersfield- On Sunday, November 5th 2017, Aetna employees attended a Food Drive at Stop and Shop (1380 Berlin Tpke) hosted by Wethersfield PD, FD and EMS. Nick Caisse and Lauren Hartwell teamed up with members of the Wethersfield agencies to collect goods for donation to the local food bank at event end.

ASM Participates in Weekend Food Drive in South Windsor, 2016

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SOUTH WINDSOR — On June 11, 2016 crews from ASM were on-site again this year at Stop and Shop and Geissler’s in South Windsor to participate in a food drive to benefit the South Windsor Food and Fuel Bank.

South Windsor 2016 Food Drive

Excerpts from a note from the Director of Adult and Senior Services for the Town of South Windsor:

I wanted to say a big thank you for your help this past weekend for the food drive to benefit the SW Food Bank. It was a HUGE success!

We have a TON of boxes in our hallway and our volunteers worked tirelessly to put the bags of food away today so that clients can use the food bank tomorrow.

A total of 141 boxes with an estimated 7,050 items were donated PLUS $1426 in cash!  Unbelievable! All this AND it was Strawberry Fest Day!!

Your support of this worthy cause is so greatly appreciated. I know it means using resources from your own departments, and it truly means a lot.

Team work makes the Dream work!

Another Good Year For Emergency Of Hunger Food Drive

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HARTFORD COURANT

By Jesse Leavenworth

MANCHESTER — Donations to the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive show the region’s generosity has not diminished.

Police, firefighters, emergency medical providers and other volunteers gathered food and other gifts over the past two weekends at supermarkets in Manchester, Rocky Hill, South Windsor, Vernon and Windsor.

Estimated totals were: 26,000 food and personal care items; $23,000 in cash, checks and gift cards; and 870 turkeys and hams, organizer Dave Skoczulek of Ambulance Service of Manchester said Tuesday.

Total donations for the seven years that first responders have run the drive are 210,000 food and personal care items, $143,000 in cash, checks and gift cards and over 6,000 turkeys and hams. Read the whole story here….

Little Manchester Road Race Nets Big Food Drive Gain

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Little Road Race Food Drive CMANCHESTER — On November 21, 2015 the Little Manchester Road Race (LMRR) for children, a precursor to the Thanksgiving Day race, asked that each runner bring a non-perishable food item for donation.

Those items were ultimately transported  and donated to MACC Charities food bank in Manchester to coincide with the ‘Emergency of Hunger’ Food Drive being run in six towns over the weekend.

The LMRR component of the food drive was a huge success, bringing in over 1300 non-perishable food items for those in need. Pictures of the haul being loaded into an ASM ambulance are attached here, courtesy of Stephanie Boutot and Russell Jones.

First Responders In Six Towns Prepare For Food Drive

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Kyle Caldwell, left, and Dave Tedeschi, emergency medical technicians with Ambulance Service of Manchester, at the 2013 Emergency of Hunger Food Drive.

Kyle Caldwell, left, and Dave Tedeschi, emergency medical technicians with Ambulance Service of Manchester, at the 2013 Emergency of Hunger Food Drive.

HARTFORD COURANT

by Jesse Leavenworth

First responders in Manchester and five other towns are gearing up for the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive, an annual effort that organizers say has proven vital to food pantries in the region.

Read the full article here…

“Many of the area food banks have come to rely on this food drive and the generosity of shoppers to get them through the holiday season,” Skoczulek said.

To date, he said, volunteers have collected about 187,000 food and personal care items, 5,500 turkeys and over $120,000 in cash, checks and gift cards.

“All we ask is for each shopper to purchase one extra item to donate,” Skoczulek said. “Many shoppers go well beyond this and donate multiple items — sometimes even whole shopping carts. But every little bit helps, so we appreciate each item.”

All locations are Stop & Shop supermarkets, except for Geissler’s Supermarket on Sullivan Avenue in South Windsor.

• Manchester: 286 Broad St., Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 21 and 22 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Rockville section of Vernon: 50 Windsorville Road, Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 21 and 22 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Rocky Hill: 80 Town Line Road, Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 21 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..

• Vernon: 10 Pitkin Road, Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 21 and 22 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Windsor: 1095 Kennedy Road, Saturday and Sunday — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• South Windsor: 1739 Ellington Road, Nov. 21 and 22 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• South Windsor: Geissler’s Supermarket, 965 Sullivan Ave., Nov. 21 and 22 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Enfield collection dates, times and locations are to be announced.

“Every year we hope for good weather and holiday cheer to help us through,” Skoczulek said, “but no matter what, we always seem to bring in a big haul for those in need.”

ASM Participates in Weekend Food Drive in South Windsor

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SOUTH WINDSOR — On June 20, 2015 crews from ASM were on-site at Stop and Shop and Geissler’s in South Windsor to participate in a food drive to benefit the South Windsor Food and Fuel Bank.

ASM received the following note from South Windsor’s Human Services Department:

Thanks to ASM for helping out with the Triad Sponsored Food Drive to benefit the South Windsor Food and Fuel Bank!

This was truly a team effort with The Fire and Police Department, Explorers, ASM and Triad volunteers all pitching in to help! Geisslers and Stop and Shop were also very helpful with pre-packing bags, which made it easier for shoppers!

On behalf of the Human Services Department, THANK YOU for making a difference!!!!

Andrea

Stuff-a-Truck in South Windsor a Success

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South Windsor Touch a Truck ASM

ASM’s Mandi-Lynn Guertin and Cody Lemire.

SOUTH WINDSOR — ASM had the fortunate opportunity to work alongside several agencies including South Windsor Police and South Windsor Fire Department as part of a holiday Stuff-A-Truck event. The following is a note from Adult and Senior Services regarding the success of the event:

I wanted to say a big thank you to you and all of the staff and volunteers who have helped us this holiday season! The Food and Fuel Bank is going to be set for several months to come thanks to the generosity of time the volunteers and staff gave to the cause.

The community is extremely generous, and you all made it easier for them to donate by being stationed at both grocery stores before Thanksgiving and yesterday as well. The monetary donations will help several families with oil during this cold season. And of course the toys will go to very excited children on Christmas day! It doesn’t get any better than that!

I would love it if you can pass along our thanks, from the entire Human Services Department, for your commitment to helping your neighbors. It so greatly appreciated!

Yesterday’s total was just under $2000 in cash, $85 in gift cards, countless bags and boxes of food and dozens and dozens of toys! In November, the monetary donations were almost $4,000 in addition to all the food!

May you all enjoy this holiday season knowing you brightened the days of so many!

Andrea

Director of Adult and Senior Services

Human Services Department

Town of South Windsor

Regional Food Drive – Another “Excellent” Year

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hc-manchester-hunger-results-1126-20141125-001HARTFORD COURANT

Delivering donated food to the MACC Charities pantry recently are, left to right, Sean Gregg of Ambulance Service of Manchester, Rotary Club members Ana Ramos and Marty Fins and MACC Executive Director Beth Stafford. (Rick Lawrence).

By Jesse Leavenworth

NOVEMBER 25, 2014, 1:27 PM

Read the full, original article here…

The Emergency of Hunger drive collected nearly 40,000 food items, an outpouring of generosity that an organizer characterized as “excellent” and a good gauge of citizens’ holiday spirit.

The regional collection by police, fire and emergency medical agencies and Rotary Club members benefits food pantries in Manchester, Vernon, South Windsor, Rocky Hill and Windsor.

Conducted over the past two weekends,the drive took in 39,956 food items, $23,839.80 in cash, checks and gift cards and 788 turkeys, organizer Dave Skoczulek of Ambulance Service of Manchester said Tuesday.

“It was an excellent year, once again surpassing our expectations,” Skoczulek said.
Collections in each town go to pantries that serve those towns. The drive provides a big lift to pantry stocks, not just for the holidays, but sometimes extending into February, pantry
representatives said. Organizers said the need has not diminished since the first drive in 2009.

The drive’s six ­year totals, which Skoczulek reported Tuesday, were 186,956 food items, $120,025.80 in cash, checks and gift cards and 5,498 turkeys.

Emergency of Hunger food drive kicks off this weekend

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POSTED 5:28 PM, NOVEMBER 13, 2014, BY SAMANTHA SCHOENFELD AND MIKE KRAFCIK, UPDATED AT 06:53PM, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 at Fox CT

Article and video appears on Fox CT. 

VERNON– Food drives are now kicking off for the holiday season, and this year there’s additional need for help in Connecticut cities and towns.

Many who oversee food drives in suburban towns and more affluent parts of the state say the need for food assistance is continuing to increase.

In Vernon Thursday afternoon, a kick-off ceremony was held for the sixth annual Emergency of Hunger Food Drive. Fire officials, police, EMS, hospital staff, Rotary and others are participating to help make a difference.

Over the last five seasons the drive has garnered 147,000 food and personal care items, 4,710 turkeys and more than $96,000 in cash, checks and gift cards.

Last year, fire, police and first responders personally helped to collect 25,000 food items and more than $10,000 in cash and gift cards for many suburban families in need.

Read the full article here…