This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
10/20/2022 12:45 PMWith the holidays just around the corner and “inflation is hitting the community hard,” Jaye Andrews and the rest of the Branford Food Pantry (BFP) board are expecting more requests than ever for holiday meal baskets for Branford residents in need.
Established in 1978 and located in the lower level of the Patricia C. Andriole Volunteer Services Center at 30 Harrison Ave., non-profit, all-volunteer BFP provides year ‘round supplemental food support to residents in need, who come by to get their groceries at the site.
Each year, thanks to assistance from community contributions, BFP also provides full holiday meal baskets to families in need at Thanksgiving and at holiday time in December.
BFP clients are Branford individuals, seniors, and families, and their numbers are rising, said Andrews, who serves all-volunteer BFP as vice president.
“The number of visits per month have risen steadily in the past four months and show no signs of slowing. We have seen a 25 percent increase in visits and the number of families coming to the food pantry,” Andrews said. “In September alone, we added 24 new clients to our list. Many of these ‘new’ clients were clients years ago and were able to afford to go it on their own but now find themselves in financial difficulty. Now we are gearing up for the holidays and may be facing the largest number of basket requests ever.”
BFP expects to give away at least 250 complete baskets of traditional holiday meal ingredients to Branford folks in need at Thanksgiving, and the same number again at Christmas.
“This year we will offer the traditional holiday basket: a turkey and all the trimmings for a festive holiday meal, and, as a turkey alternative for smaller families, a roasting chicken will be offered,” said Andrews. “Come December, we do it all over again!”
BFP is also currently seeking volunteers to assist with all clients, but especially those with a second language, such as a Spanish, as “...for many of our clients, English is not their first language,” said Andrews.
She said clients’ needs are now more diverse, too.
“We currently try to anticipate the needs of individuals who have dietary needs to due to health and religion. Fish, plant-based meats, almond milk, gluten-free, and low sodium items are some of the items we are trying to carry.”
BFP encourages Branford residents facing financial difficulty to request a Thanksgiving meal holiday basket by contacting BFP between Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Thursday, Nov. 17 to sign up. Baskets will be available for pick up on Tuesday, Nov. 22. To sign up, call BFP's Holiday Hotline at 203-315-8251 or email holiday@branfordfoodpantry.org and provide full name, address, and phone number. Regular pantry clients may sign up during their BFP visit.
As providing a small, frozen turkey (12 to 16 pounds) is central to filling each basket, frozen turkeys top the list of donated items sought to assist BFP. Tax-deductible donations are also gratefully accepted. Contribute online at www.branfordfoodpantry.org or send checks made out to Branford Food Pantry to P.O. Box 1068, Branford, CT 06405. The funds will assist BFP in purchasing perishable holiday basket items such as butter, as well as any supplemental basket inventory needed.
Individuals, groups and organizations are welcome to deliver donations of Holiday Basket items directly to Branford Food Pantry, 30 Harrison Ave., on Tuesday and Friday mornings between 8:30 to 11 a.m. and during additional Tuesday hours of 4 to 6 p.m. To arrange pick up of large food donations, call 203-481-3663 or email office@branfordfoodpantry.org