February 21, 2019 Meeting

Guests: Rick Wood Bethlehem food bank, John Stamos, Bethlehem food bank, Christina Nero, Erin Kennedy Plymouth Food bank

 

Speaker updates:  Our next meeting 3/7, Leo Paul will be giving us the state of the L address, on 3/21 we will have District Governor Mark Brady and AG Ron Pleasant from the Watertown Club.

 

Erin Kennedy, Plymouth Food Bank

Erin gave us some great handouts to show us what living in poverty really looks like.  She gave us the income limits for who would qualify for SNAP benefits.  These benefits are designed to supplement your food.  The food pantry supplements the need above that.  Most food stamp receivers run out of benefits halfway through the month, after that, they are reliant on the food banks for food to eat.  She did note that the Plymouth area has 5% of the population relying on the food bank to supplement their food needs.  Most of the food pantry hours are donated by volunteers.  They rely on donations, the churches, volunteers, corporations and the Connecticut Food Bank to help stock their shelves.  Erin noted that every time they open their doors, they distribute 2000 lbs of food.  They do not turn anyone away, but will give food and direct people to their local food banks for further food.  Their goal is to make sure that no one in the community is food insecure.  She noted that 1/3 are seniors, 1/3 adults and 1/3 children.  Erin also noted that they give out personal care items.  You cannot purchase these items using SNAP benefits.  They also have home delivery for their homebound clients.  The mission of the food pantry is to end the need for food as well as its causes and effects.   They help with referrals and getting people to places that can help them to maximize their budget.  They realize that many people are just one twist away from being in need.

 

Tina Neri from the Thomaston Community Pantry spoke to us about their food pantry.  They have a small location and much of what Erin noted about Plymouth is the same in Thomaston.  Their annual budget is 12-15k per month and distribute Wednesday and Saturday.   The Thomaston Pantry is stocked by the CT Food Bank as well as donations from corporations and individuals.   They are 100% volunteers.  She did note that when people ask what they need, they advise people to look at what is in your own kitchen – paper products, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar – the stuff that you always assume will be there.  50% of their clients are seniors and 70% of their recipients are women.  They are walking distance from senior housing.  She noted that they get 80% of their financial donations in November and December as well as their food donations.  By June, they are out of food.  They budget as much as possible to be able to keep supplying people in need. Canned meats are always a great staple to donate.

 

Rick Wood and John Stamos from Bethlehem also staff a volunteer run food bank.  This food bank started as a drawer in the town clerk’s desk, and then it grew to a cabinet, then a closet and grew to a small room in the town hall.  In order to make the food pantry less public, they got a space in a local church.  The food bank is open to anyone who goes to the bank.  They do give them food and if they are out of towners, they do direct them to their local food banks for future supplies.  No one is ever turned away and they leave with food and how to get the additional help they need.  Currently they are serving 35 families.  At Christmas time, they gave out 50 Christmas meal bundles.   They now have someone working with people in subsidized housing to make sure that those food insecure people are fed.  They are currently looking for ways to reach out to people who are home bound.  The Bethlehem Food Pantry gets their food and funding from local businesses, Give Local, grocery stores, local farms, food rescue, CT Food Bank as well as individual downers.  Their biggest partnership is with First Church where they are housed along with the Fuel Bank, Chore service, community fund and scholarship fund.    They are looking to collaborate with the Catholic Church to create a clothing bank all under the Caring for Bethlehem umbrella.  They do all of their amazing work with about a dozen volunteers.

 

A huge thank you to all of our speakers for teaching us about what they do and the need in the community.