United Way's 2020 Day of Action Will Benefit the Danbury Food Collaborative
DANBURY, CT -- United Way of Western Connecticut is partnering with the Danbury Fair Mall to conduct a food drive to benefit the Danbury 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 people in our area losing jobs or wages, and children home from school since March, many families have struggled to feed their children and put food on their tables.
WHAT: Community Food Drive to benefit the Danbury Food Collaborative. This activity is serving as United Way of Western Connecticut’s annual 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:
- Friday, August 7, 2020 – 2 pm to 6 pm
- Saturday, August 8, 2020 – 9 am to 12 noon
WHERE: The Danbury Fair Mall, 7 Backus Avenue, Danbury, CT. Donations will be collected via a drive through in the mall parking lot, located off the main entrance facing Backus Avenue (closest to LL Bean). Look for the tent.
Those who prefer to make a food donation can visit the Danbury Food Collaborative website at www.uwwesternct.org/danburyfoodcollaborative.
CONTACT: For more information, or to find out how to volunteer for the food drive, contact Stacy Schulman at 203-825-8479 or 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 our community now facing food insecurity after losing their jobs or wages as a result of the pandemic.
The Danbury Food Collaborative was created in 2013 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 and by rescuing more than 1 million pounds of food. The collaborative also publishes a Guide to Accessing Food in Danbury in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. More than 20 area food providers are members of the Danbury Food Collaborative. 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 need through volunteerism. We know that food is what is needed most right now. The food pantries need to restock their shelves, and Day of Action will bring the community together to make that happen.”
Food pantries that are part of the Danbury Food Collaborative will benefit from the Community Food Drive on August 7 and 8, 2020. The event serves as the United Way of Western Connecticut Day of Action for Northern Fairfield County for 2020, and is being conducted in partnership with the Danbury Fair Mall. The donation process is contact-free.
United Way of Western Connecticut improves the lives of hard-working, struggling households by addressing root causes and mobilizing the resources of local communities to create lasting change. United Way helps residents across Northern Fairfield County, Southern Litchfield County and the City of Stamford by focusing on the vital building blocks for a good life: education, financial stability, and health. It is particularly focused on a population identified as ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). By leveraging the collective power of the community, we are focused on creating an environment where individuals and families are self-sufficient and can achieve financial independence.
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Contact:
Caroline LaFleur
United Way of Western Connecticut
203-297-6307
caroline.lafleur@uwwesternct.org
Website: www.uwwesternct.org
