Day of Action to Stock the Pantry
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
On June 21st, the longest day of the year, local United Way’s across the country engaged in local ‘Day of Action’ events. United Way of Greater Waterbury’s Day of Action event took place at the CT Food Bank in Waterbury showcasing the Stock the Pantry food drive results.
Participating companies were invited to join the United Way of Greater Waterbury ‘Day of Action’ media event to demonstrate how local action can address local hunger issues.
A record 49 companies & organizations participated raising a record 6,930 pounds of food.
Day of Action: Stock the Pantry 2010
Participants (as of 6-24-10)
Alliance Medical Group
AMR
Ansonia Copper & Brass
Bally Total Fitness
Bank of America
Bentley Systems, Inc.
Carmody & Torrance LLP
Children’s Community School
Crystal Rock, LLC
The Exchange Club of Waterbury
Family Services of Greater Waterbury
Girl Scouts of Connecticut
The Grotto and Mrs. G
The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center
Hubbard-Hall, Inc.
ITW Highland
Jewish Communities of Western CT
LISA, Inc.
MacDermid, Inc.
The Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center
Modern Motors
Morris Foundation
Naugatuck Savings Bank
People’s United Bank
People’s United Bank – Chase Avenue Stop & Shop
The Platt Brothers & Company
Ramdy Corp
Republican-American
Saint Mary’s Hospital
Savings Bank of Danbury
ShopRite of Waterbury
Silas Bronson Library
StayWell Health Care, Inc.
Thomaston Savings Bank
United Way of Greater Waterbury
U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
VNA Health Care, Inc.
Waterbury Companies
Waterbury Development Corporation
Waterbury Hospital
Waterbury Hospital – Radiology Department
Waterbury Public Schools – Sprague School
Waterbury Teacher’s Association
Waterbury Youth System Services
WATR 1320-AM
Webster Bank
Webster Bank – Consumer Finance Division
Wesson Energy
The WORX Group
Special thank you to
Connecticut Food Bank
AMR Waterbury
Special thank you to the youth of:
YMCA Waterbury
Waterbury Youth Service System
2010 DAY OF ACTION TO STOCK THE PANTRY
Food items were collected through April, May and June. The food drive culiminated on United Way’s Day of Action, Monday, June 21st, 2010, at which time the total amount of food raised by weight was announced to the media, focusing attention on the growing needs of those experiencing hunger and how taking decisive action as a community can make a difference.
Local soup kitchens and food pantries continue to see strong demand as a result of the economic downturn, seeing new faces that have never had to reach out for help before. Combined with low-income families who lose access to school lunches and breakfasts in the summer, inventories can be quickly overwhelmed as families try to fill the gap.
In Connecticut, 1 in 7 households struggled with hunger in 2009, according to a national report released in January.
Last year, our food-assistance programs reported an average 30 percent increase in demand for their services. And some of the people seeking food assistance are coming for the first time.
Contrary to what many people may think, the highest demand for food is in the summer. A family with two children will have to come up with more than 200 extra meals during the summer vacation when they don’t have access to school meals—and that’s an extremely difficult situation to face for most low-income families.
