‘Taking care of our own’

Feed Branford Kids to host fundraiser on June 2

BRANFORD — When Janice Pantani Fowler, board member of Feed Branford Kids, learned that the federal program making school lunch free for every child is expected to expire at the end of June, she knew it was time for action.

That’s how FBK’s Rock The Brewery Fundraiser at Stony Creek Brewery on Thursday, June 2, came about.

Fowler’s mother, the late Johanne Pantani, created the all-volunteer FBK in 2012 to make sure every child in Branford has enough to eat, whether it’s a school day, a weekend, or a holiday.

“You don’t need research studies to tell you that a kid sitting in class without food in their stomach can’t take in information properly,” Fowler said. “That doesn’t stop in the summer. A hungry kid can’t function, can’t play, can’t do much at all.”

With food and gas prices skyrocketing, and inflation soaring, the nearly one in four families in Branford struggling to provide enough food for their kids were already facing a long, hungry summer.

For the last 10 years, the nonprofit has been partnering with school administrators to discreetly place non-perishable, kid-friendly foods in students’ backpacks each Friday with enough food to last them the weekend.

There are no income eligibility requirements. Currently the program serves students in Branford’s three elementary schools. The hope is that the program will eventually expand to the middle school and high school.

When the pandemic hit, FBK pivoted.

“With schools closing, there was no way for us to get our kids the food they needed,” Fowler said. “So we opened up our warehouse to any family with school-age kids to come pick up what they needed, no questions asked.”

Two years later, the need is still there. The Business Park Drive warehouse is still open to any family with school-age kids each Thursday from 5 to 6 pm.

“These are parents often working two jobs, or they don’t have a car, or they’re not on a bus line” and, as a result, “they can’t get to the food pantry when it’s open,” Fowler said. “These are families who are really trying to make it work, not families who want something for free.”

Though expiration of the school lunch program seemingly won’t affect families until fall, Fowler doesn’t expect the summer will be any easier on them.

“Costs are up, inflation is up, the next few months are going to be a struggle,” she said.

A study by the Urban Institute bears this out. Even before the pandemic, “households with children have higher rates of food insecurity of the summer months because more people are at home and fewer resources are available without school lunches.”

Fowler said the non-profit FBK, which is entirely supported by private funding, is relying on monetary donations to continue to be able to buy food.

“Currently we give away about 600 meals a week,” Fowler said. “We were over 1,000 meals during the pandemic, and we would love to get back to those numbers. We believe that without the funding for school lunches and breakfasts, the need is there.”

The event on Thursday, June 2 features catering from La Cucina, a free beer, five raffle tickets, and musical entertainment from local singer-songwriter Sal Annunziato.

“We’re asking people to show up to the fundraiser, have fun, and learn about what Feed Branford Kids is trying to do and how they can help,” Fowler said.

In the end, she added, “it’s about the people of Branford taking care of our own. Simple as that.”

FBK Rock the Brewery Fundraiser is at Stony Creek Brewery, 5 Indian Neck Ave. Branford from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, June 2. To purchase tickets, $30, visit bit.ly/3Nyfis9. All are welcome.

To donate to Feed Branford Kids, visit bit.ly/3afPOkS.

Kids Weekend Pickup is every Thursday from 5-6 pm at 29 Business Park Drive, Branford. Free for all Branford children.