Dear
It's more important than ever to give back to our communities and help those in need. Each holiday season, I try to share a list of organizations in Connecticut's Fourth District that are accepting donations of food or other items to help our most vulnerable neighbors.
If you are planning on making a donation or volunteering for a local organization, please make sure you call ahead as many of these organizations are staffed by volunteers and hours can shift. Many of these organizations have volunteer applications and hours on their websites as well.
Giving back can be more than donating food and supplies. Local shelters, domestic violence centers, schools and soup kitchens near you need volunteers and supplies around the holidays as well. Call local organizations to see what shifts need to be covered, and organize volunteer hours with your friends and family members.
Thank you for taking the time to do what you can to give back to your local community.
Wishing you and your families a healthy and safe Thanksgiving, Jim
BRIDGEPORT
Bridgeport Rescue Mission 1088 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport (203) 333-4087 www.bridgeportrescuemission.org
Tuesday - Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm Donations may be brought to 1069 Connecticut Ave unit 2B; accepts donations of clothing, personal hygiene items, food, and blankets to distribute to the homeless.
Calvary Saint George's Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen 755 Clinton Avenue, Bridgeport (203) 333-5116 ext 15
Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30am - 11:30am Church accepts donations of food for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays; accepts food items including nonperishable food and baby food.
Cesar Batalla Family Resource Center 606 Howard Avenue, Bridgeport (203) 579-8526
Monday-Friday 8:00am - 3:00pm Accepts donations of clothing and nonperishable food
Dunbar School Family Resource Center 445 Union Avenue, Bridgeport (203) 332-5658
Monday-Friday 8:30am- 4:30pm Accepts donations of books and magazines, clothing, food, household goods (dishes, cookware, linens, and furniture), infant goods, office equipment/supplies, personal care supplies, school supplies and toys.
King's Pantry 30 Florence Street, Bridgeport
(203) 576-0522 or (203) 335-9255 http://healingtreeeconomicdevelopment.com/
Monday-Friday: 10:30am-1:30pm Accepts donations of nonperishable food for the food pantry, and food for the soup kitchen. Salvation Army - Bridgeport Corps Community Center 30 Elm Street, Bridgeport (203) 334-0995
http://ctri.salvationarmy.org/SNE/Bridgeport
Monday-Friday 10:00am - 1:00pm (Excluding Wednesday) Donations of food are accepted for distribution to people in need; holiday food donations are also needed for holiday programs.
Thomas Merton Center 43 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport (203) 367-9036 www.themertoncenter.org/
Monday-Friday 8:30am-1:30pm; Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm Accepts food for the soup kitchen and food pantry.
DARIEN
Person-to-Person 1864 Post Road, Darien (203) 655-0048 http://p2phelps.org/
Weekdays 9:00am-4:00pm Accepts donations of nonperishable food for the food pantry, clothing that is in season and in good condition, baby clothing/diapers for the Baby Basics Program, household goods and new toy donations for the annual Toy Store and Be A Santa programs.
FAIRFIELD
Operation Hope of Fairfield, Inc. 636 Old Post Road, Fairfield
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm
Operation Hope Kitchen 50 Nichols Street, Fairfield
Saturday and Sunday 8:00am-4:00pm (203) 292-5588 (203) 254-2935
http://www.operationhopect.org/help/ Accepts nonperishable food for the food pantry and food for the soup kitchen, and personal care toiletry products. Also accepts home and office goods and kitchen equipment for the shelter.
GREENWICH
Neighbor to Neighbor
c/o Christ Church Annex, 248 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich (203) 622-9208 http://www.ntngreenwich.org/
Monday-Friday: 8:30am - 2:30pm and volunteer shifts on Saturdays from 8:30am - 12:30pm Accepts donations of clothing, small household goods, children's books, and baby clothing and diapers; closed holidays. Donations are used for agency programs.
MONROE
Monroe Department of Social Services 980 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe (203) 452-2817 http://www.monroect.org/Social-Services Monday 2:00-5:30pm; Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00am -1:00pm Donations of nonperishable food, condiments, paper goods and toiletries are accepted at all times in the outside donation box. Also accepts animal food/supplies; infant items (clothing, diapers, formula); cell phones; office equipment/supplies; and school supplies.
NEW CANAAN
Town of New Canaan and St. Mark's Church Parish House
Church House Foyer- 111 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan (203) 966-4515 www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/outreach
Monday-Friday 8:00am - 8:00pm Accepts nonperishable food donations, toiletries and paper goods. Volunteers are needed during hours of operation to sort, stock and bag groceries.
NORWALK
Mid-Fairfield AIDS Project 618 West Avenue, Norwalk (203) 855-9535 Ext.102 www.mfap.org
Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm Accepts nonperishable food, personal care supplies and housewares.
Open Door Shelter and Manna House 4 Merritt Street, Norwalk (203) 866-1057 http://www.opendoorshelter.org/about-us/
Saturday and Sunday 6:00am-1:00pm; 2:00pm-9:00pm Accepts donations of food for the food pantry and soup kitchen, and clothing and furniture, office equipment, personal care items, school supplies and toy donations.
Person-to-Person 76 S. Main Street, Norwalk (203) 939-1650 http://p2phelps.org/donate
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 4:00pm Accepts donations of nonperishable food, winter clothes, children's books, toys and household goods for use in agency programs.
St. Philip Parish Food Pantry 1 Father Conlon Place, Norwalk (203) 847-4549 http://stphilipnorwalk.org/
Saturday and Sunday 8:00am - 8:00pm Accepts nonperishable food donations for the food pantry that can be dropped off at any door to the church.
Salvation Army—Norwalk Corps Community Center 14 Byington Place, Norwalk (203) 866-2125 http://ctri.salvationarmy.org/SNE/Norwalk
Monday-Friday 10:00am - 2:00pm Donations of food are needed for the food pantry and for holiday food baskets.
REDDING
Town of Redding Department of Social Services
Community Center 37 Lonetown Road, Redding (203) 938-3580 http://townofreddingct.org/government/services/social-services/
Monday-Wednesday: 8:30am - 5:30pm; Thursday 8:30am - 6:00pm; Friday 9:00am - 12:00 pm Accepts nonperishable food donations for the food pantry.
RIDGEFIELD
Town of Ridgefield Department of Social Services
Town Hall, upper level
400 Main Street, Ridgefield (203) 431-2777 https://www.ridgefieldct.org/social-services/pages/food-pantry
Monday-Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm The Social Services Department accepts nonperishable food donations for the emergency food pantry, as well as personal care items and household goods. Large donations can also be brought to the Yanity Gym storage area by appointment.
SHELTON
Spooner House & Valley Food Bank 30 Todd Road, Shelton (203) 225-0453 http://www.actspooner.org/contact.html
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Accepts donations of diapers, infant formula and personal care supplies to support agency programs. Seeking volunteers to serve lunch and dinner meals and sort and pack nonperishable food items in the food bank.
STAMFORD
The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County 461 Glenbrook Rd, Stamford (203) 358-8898 www.foodbanklfc.org
Monday-Friday 8:00am - 3:00 pm Accepts donations of nonperishable and perishable food for the pantry. Seeking volunteers to inspect, sort and shelve nonperishable food.
Faith Tabernacle Church Food Pantry 29 Grove Street, Stamford (203) 348-8755 ext. 14
Call to set up a drop off time. Accepts donations of nonperishable and perishable food for the pantry.
New Covenant House of Hospitality 174 Richmond Hill Avenue, Stamford (203) 964-8228
Monday-Saturday 10:00am - 6:00 pm and Sunday 10:00am - 2:00 pm Accepts donations of nonperishable food for the pantry. Seeking volunteers to cook and serve lunch or dinner and organize food drives.
Salvation Army - Stamford Corps Community Center 198 Selleck Street, Stamford (203) 359-2320 http://ctri.salvationarmy.org/SNE/Stamford
Monday-Friday 10:00am - 3:00pm Accepts nonperishable food donations for the food pantry and diapers for the diaper bank.
Zion Lutheran Church Food Pantry 132 Glenbrook Road, Stamford (203) 327-7751 zionlutheran-stamford.org
Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-1:00pm Accepts nonperishable food donations for the food pantry.
TRUMBULL
Trumbull Department of Social Services Center 23 Priscilla Place, Trumbull (203) 452-5198 http://www.trumbull-ct.gov/310/Food-Pantry
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 4:00pm Accepts nonperishable food donations, paper products, toiletries for the food pantry.
WESTON
Town of Weston Social Services Department
Town Hall Annex, 24 School Road, Weston (203) 222-2663 www.westonct.gov/townhall/27652/28677/29470
Monday-Thursday 9:00am - 4:00pm Accepts food donations to be distributed to Weston residents in need.
WESTPORT
Homes with Hope Food Pantry 49 Richmondville Avenue #112, Westport (203) 226-3426 www.hwhct.org
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 1:00pm-5:00pm Accepts donations of nonperishable food and provides a bag of groceries to all in need. Seeking volunteers to sort donations, stock shelves and pack grocery bags of food.
The Westport Woman's Club, Inc. Food Closet 44 Imperial Avenue, Westport (203) 227-4240 http://www.westportwomansclub.org/community-services/
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm; 1:00pm - 4:00pm Assists residents of Westport with an emergency food distribution program and delivers hot means to shut-ins on holidays.
WILTON
Town of Wilton Social Services Department
Comstock Community Center 180 School Road, Wilton (203) 834-6238 http://www.wiltonct.org/departments/socialservices/index.html
Call to arrange drop-off time. Accepts donations of perishable and nonperishable food items, personal care items, paper products and detergents. |