The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘WE HAVE FAITH’
Advocates determined to bring Thanksgiving to those in need
In New Haven, the “Day of Joy” Thanksgiving feast and coat, toiletry and food giveaway traditionally is an event filled with families, fellowship and happy kids crowded into a warm school cafeteria trying on new winter coats.
But because of coronavirus pandemic this year, there will be no children allowed.
There also will be no sit-down feast with family.
And the event will take place in a masks-required, socially distanced way in the parking lot of Knights of Columbus, 1 Columbus
Plaza.
This and other such holiday events for the needy and lonely throughout the state have been
heavily affected by the pandemic. Many events will go on, but the fellowship elements will be missing, organizers said.
But others, such as the free sit-down turkey meal with trimmings at Christopher Martins in New Haven, will be canceled.
“Due to COVID, we have reluctantly decided to cancel our Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in 35 years but we are still going to have a nonperishable foods and toiletries drive to benefit the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen,” restaurant owner Brian Virtue said.
Pastor Brenda Adkins and her husband, John Adkins, who run Day of Joy through their church, His Divine Will Fellowship, are disappointed, too, because the best part of the day was the fellowship: Seeing all the smiles of the kids and watching families feel the stress disappear for a bit. The event typically feeds more than 1,000 men, women and children.
“There are obstacles, but we have faith,” said Brenda Adkins “I feel a little sad, but I’m happy that I’m still going to be able to help.”
Just like the Adkinses, many churches and organizations throughout the state that hold Thanksgiving events see the need is higher than ever in these difficult economic times. Since the pandemic has affected every sector, donations are down, as are volunteers, since the elderly and other vulnerable populations are hesitant to join in. The Adkinses are looking for volunteers, and for donations of socks for children, food and money.
Social distancing protocols to stem the spread of the virus means an end to the hugs, halls packed with set tables and cozy dinner table conversations. Most who typically run the events are planning or considering “to-go” meals or, in the case of the Adkinses, bagged groceries for a Thanksgiving dinner.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently advised people to avoid attending large, indoor gatherings with people from outside the household or other crowded events.
.The Adkinses will give out coats through Knights of Columbus — but kids won’t be allowed to attend to try them on — and desperately are trying to collect socks and toiletries, as well. They also need more volunteers this year, as many of their regular volunteers are elderly and at risk if exposed to the virus.
In Bridgeport, Kim Fawcett, chief revenue officer for Bridgeport Rescue Mission, said in an email that, “The Great ThanksGiving Project in Bridgeport is happening this year,” but “COVID 19 style”:
— The main event will take place over three days (Nov. 19-21) and will be an outdoor event under tents, socially distanced, with masks.
— Outdoor satellite distribution, also outdoors, will be held through part
nerships in Stamford, Norwalk and New Haven during the Monday and Tuesday just before Thanksgiving Day.
— The number of families coming forward asking for food assistance has more than doubled since COVID-19, and, “We are anticipating the need to provide more than 5, 000 working poor families with a frozen turkey and bag of fixings through the project this year,” Fawcett said. Last year they served nearly4,000 families.
— The event typically has been underwritten through more than twodozen corporate partner donations and this year most of the regular partners had to pull out because of COVID/economic issues, Fawcett said. They are looking to individual partners and community groups to fill the gaps by raising donations of turkeys and funds to support the event.
— They will not be distributing coats, hats, gloves or scarves through the GTP this year, but will be partnering with local human service providers to be sure anyone who needs a warm winter coats is cared for.
The group is holding a two-week Stuff a Truck event with Stop & Shop in Fairfield and Norwalk this month to help collect needed food items for the project.
In Danbury, because of the complications of social distancing, the Daily Bread Food Pantry will take a different approach this year. Rather than have 400-500 families lined up with tickets a few days before Thanksgiving to collect turkeys, fresh produce, stuffing, dessert and other trimmings to make a feast at home, the pantry is planning to put a few extra special items into the regular pickups before Thanksgiving, said pantry board of directors President Debbie Landzberg.
“Given COVID, hundreds lining up at the same time wouldn’t make sense,” she said. “We’re hoping to do something special, pies, a meat item. … Something our largely Latino clients would appreciate.”
Landzberg said they’ve been serving three times the number of clients throughout the pandemic, so the mostly volunteer crew has been putting a lot into everyday operations.
She said they give out food to 150-180 families twice per week, giving families about 60 pounds of food per visit.
“We always try to be very generous,” Landzberg said.
She stressed that Daily Bread Food Pantry is not making it work alone, noting Danbury Food Collaborative, other agencies and generous donations of money and food from the community have made it all possible.
“The support of the community has been absolutely amazing,” she said. “It’s really been so heartwarming.”
Anyone who wishes to donate can visit www.daily breadfoodpantry.com.
In Bethel, Dionne Craig, office administrator for the Bethel First Selectman, usually runs the “Thanksgiving Community Dinner.” But this year, Craig said, another group, Volunteers Open Worlds, is putting together meals for pickup the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Craig said she hopes the community dinner can resume next year.
In East Haven, the East Haven Rotary Club, which is scheduled to provide free full-course Thanksgiving dinners for needy
East Haveners for the 14th year, there will be procedural changes worked out in consultation with the East Shore District Health Department, organizers said.
In the current economic climate, organizers expect many more families may find themselves in need of assistance, and the Rotary is encouraging residents to feel comfortable participating in the program.
“On behalf of the Rotary Club I would like to extend our gratitude to Boston Market as they do all of the cooking and packaging for these Thanksgiving dinners, and each year they are very accommodating,” said Rotary member Beth Capotorto, co-chairwoman of the committee arranging the distribution.
With the increasing needs of the community, especially this year, monetary donations would be appreciated, organizers said. Anyone wishing to donate may also contact any East Haven rotarian or mail checks payable to East Haven Rotary Club Inc. “Thanksgiving Donation,” PO Box 120598, East Haven, CT 06512.
Those wishing to contribute also may visit www.easthavenrotary.org, and under “Donate Today” , choose “Thanksgiving Dinners” to make a monetary donation. The Rotary is an approved 501(c)(3) corporation.
The free dinners will be available for delivery or curbside pickup at the
East Haven Senior Center on Taylor Avenue on Thanksgiving Day from 10 to 11 a.m., organizers said in a release.
For those who are unable to come to the Senior Center for curbside pickup, “the delivery of the meals will also be without contact.”
East Haven residents interested in receiving the holiday meals are asked to call Rotary member Ashley Lesco at 203-479-0167 or email ehrotarygivesthanks@gmail.com no later than Nov. 20.
Bill Ewry, dinner coordinator for West Haven Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Congregational Church of West Haven on the Green, said they are moving forward with their Thanksgiving dinner — held on Thanksgiving Day — but the plan right now is to have curbside pickup of a packed meal.
Ewry said they are awaiting information from the West Haven Health Department.
“This type of dinner delivery will probably impact some but we have a soup kitchen operation working like this now,” he said. “We work to have as little impact as possible. I have a dedicated team of helpers that have gone far beyond to make sure those in West Haven that want a meal get a meal.”
He noted the meal isn’t just about feeding the needy.
“We offer a community dinner that is open to everyone, no matter what their situation in life is. Along with our Community Thanksgiving Dinner we offer fellowship when we come together and sit at the table with each other,” Ewry said.
New Haven’s Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, which has the Thanksgiving/COVID plans announced on its website, noted that it has for almost 30 years participated in a communitywide effort to deliver meals to people in need on Thanksgiving morning, but, “This year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic is limiting our ability to prepare and deliver meals to the same scale as we have in the past. So instead, we’ll be limiting our deliveries to about 500 meals, specifically for people experiencing homelessness and who are staying in shelters, hotels, and warming centers.”
In addition, according to the website, they will provide extra Thanksgiving foods — including turkeys — at the food pantry the day before Thanksgiving.
Anyone interested in helping out onsite or delivering meals should email volunteer@deskct.org.
In Torrington, Friends in Service to Humanity, or FISH, and other pantries and kitchens in the city benefit from numerous events and drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. Things usually get rolling with a charity walk for the homeless, followed by a luncheon and coat drive in November. Food drives are held around the city to benefit FISH, Friendly Hands Food Bank, the Community Soup Kitchen, the Salvation Army and the Open Door in Winsted. Toy drives also are held for local children, whose families use the food banks.
This year, FISH Director Deirdre Houlihan DiCara said things are going to be different, “but we won’t disappoint the children.”
“Right now we’re working hard on things to figure out how to do them and keep everyone safe,” DiCara said. “I’ll have an answer on the coat drive within a week.
“We already have a toy drive going, and people are bringing donations to FISH,” she said. “We’re also already collecting food for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“We have coats ready to give away, and we’re just trying to figure out how to do it socially distant. These special programs for our neighbors in need are very important,” she said.
DiCara said many volunteers are likely to drop out of helping with things like the coat drive, out of concern for their health. “Our volunteer members are going to decline this year because of the pandemic,” she said. “But we’re working hard. We’ll make it happen.”
In Stamford, Norwalk, Wilton, New Canaan, Darien and Greenwich, communities served by the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, “It’s going to change radically” when it comes to Thanksgiving plans, said Kate Lombardo, executive director.
The food bank serves 90 agencies in those communities and each will decide how to distribute goods with social distancing. Lombardo said they are collecting turkeys and chickens — the elderly prefer the latter — and those efforts are hampered by not being able to stand outside the grocery story and collect because of distancing restrictions. She also said that in past years people just walked in with turkeys to donate.
“It’s going to be very difficult this year,” she said. “It’s not unattainable, we’re going to get through it.”