Thanks in large part to the efforts of Andrea Savino, Community Dining Room’s (CDR) free summer Tuesday Community Dinners on the Branford Green have been a big hit in recent years. This summer, Andrea’s branching out to bring the experience to more communities.

As CDR’s program and outreach coordinator, Andrea developed a nine-week series that has the weekly free dinner and entertainment/activity event landing in one of four towns assisted by non-profit CDR: Branford, North Branford, Guilford, and East Haven.

The program kicked off June 20 on the Branford Green and, to date, has offered additional Community Dinners on June 27 in North Branford (North Farms Park) and back on the Branford Green on July 11. The Tuesday dinners continues on the Branford Green on July 18, July 25, and Aug. 1 before moving to the Guilford Green on Aug. 8, the East Haven Green on Aug. 15, and then back to Branford on Aug. 22. All dinners are held from 5 to 7 p.m.

No matter where each event is being held, all are welcome, says Andrea. Just bring a blanket or chairs and set up for a great time.

“We are traveling around a bit this year, and we want people to know they can come to any of the community dinners, wherever they’re held,” says Andrea.

Thanks to promoting the upcoming events on CDR’s social media, including its Facebook page, which has over 3,000 followers, people are readily locating the weekly dinners, she adds.

“We have a following now, so they did follow along and come to North Branford, which was our first experience holding the event in another town. It went really well, with about 125 people,” says Andrea.

To help introduce CDR to more members of the Guilford community, Andrea worked with Guilford Parks and Recreation to create some special events outside of the Community Dinners program. On July 13, CDR hosted free dinners with Naples Pizza of Guilford during Guilford Parks and Recreation’s Concert at Jacobs Beach, where CDR also set up a free kids’ shell painting activity. The program provided free meals to 152 people, says Andrea.

On Thursday, Aug. 3, CDR will be back in Guilford to provide another free meal and activity to Guilford residents attending the next Concert at Jacobs Beach, set for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Helping Community Dinners Branch Out

Based on last year’s program, each Tuesday Community Dinner on the Green averages 300 participants. The nights feature a free, delicious meal served by a local restaurant, together with great kids’ activities and/or entertainment. CDR provides the dinner’s garden salads, drinks, and desserts. In addition, members of CDR’s board of directors serve up free, freshly popped popcorn at each event.

This year, thanks to a substantial donation secured by Andrea, CDR is able to split event dinner meal costs for the nine-week summer program with all participating restaurants, which helps CDR to support these local businesses, says CDR Executive Director Judy Barron.

“Through the years, our restaurants have been so generous by donating these meals at no cost to us. This year, because of the funding Andrea has secured, we’re able to do a give-back to the restaurants, and we’re really happy to be able to do that,” says Barron.

CDR’s next Tuesday Community Dinner will be held on the Branford Green on Tuesday, July 18, with the following two events also set to take place on the Branford Green on Tuesday, July 25, and Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Then, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, CDR’s Community Dinner travels to the Guilford Green, to be followed the next week with a Community Dinner on the East Haven Town Green on Tuesday, Aug. 15. The summer program then wraps up with a final Community Dinner on the Branford Green on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

While Andrea works to make every Community Dinner a special event featuring great food, kids’ activities, and/or entertainment, and a fantastic opportunity to gather community members together, she has some exceptionally special plans for a few of these upcoming events.

The Branford Community Dinner is set for Tuesday, Aug. 1, on the Branford Green and falls on National Night Out, a national, community-based awareness event held annually on the first Tuesday in August. As she did last year, Andrea has once again coordinated the gathering to help celebrate the community.

The evening’s program includes the participation of the Branford Police Department, Branford Fire Department, Branford Parks and Recreation Department, and Branford Counseling and Community Services. In addition, some special guest appearances for the kids are planned. Dinner will be sponsored by Nonna Gina, and entertainment will be by DJ Flip.

Last year, 500 came out to enjoy the CDR Community Dinner event celebrating National Night Out on the Branford Green.

“It was amazing—I felt like I was at a carnival! It was incredible,” says Andrea.

Next up, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, for Guilford’s inaugural CDR community dinner on the Guilford Green, Andrea has cooked up a combination of free meal offerings with dinner from Guilford’s Cilantro’s Specialty Foods and dessert sponsored by Mary’s Culinary Classes. DJ Flip will preside over fun and games for kids.

The following Tuesday, Aug. 15, in East Haven, Andrea has aligned with East Haven’s Twin Pines Diner to serve up free meals to CDR’s first Community Dinner on the East Haven Green. DJ Star, East Haven Parks and Recreation, Soundview YMCA, and some special guests will provide the event’s entertainment and activities for kids.

Finally, on Tuesday, Aug. 22, CDR’s 9-week summer series will wrap up with a special Community Dinner event on the Branford Green. In addition to free meals from Home Restaurant, CDR will host a Back to School/End of Summer Dance party with DJ Flip, as well as a photo booth, Sweet Treats Ice Cream Truck, and more.

Other restaurants participating in CDR’s 9-week summer community dinners program are Honeyspot Pizza, LaCucina Prepared Meals, Indian Neck Pizza, Parthenon Diner, and Kamana Restaurant.

With Andrea on board and CDR’s programming evolving to address “more than just a meal,” Barron notes these summer dinners have become a community event where people can also learn a bit more about other resources, collaborations, and referral programs through CDR.

The outdoor Community Dinners program was initiated years ago by CDR to provide free family meals once a week in the summer as a way to support area ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)— those earning above the federal poverty level, yet struggling to afford basic expenses.

That’s still the underlying mission of this event, which has simply exploded in popularity, thanks to Andrea, says Barron.

“So what started out years ago with maybe 50 people and some activity tables on the Green has really become a community event. Andrea comes up with some great programs, and when it’s out on the Green, the stigma is completely wiped out. Everybody is together,” says Barron.

In the event of rain, CDR Community Dinners will be held at CDR, 30 Harrison Avenue in Branford. For more information on these events and CDR offerings, visit their website communitydiningroom.org.