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Community Corner

Donate a Turkey for a Family in Need This Thanksgiving

One out of every six children in Southeastern Connecticut is food insecure.  That means they do not know when or where they’ll get their next meal and have limited access to food. To celebrate the holiday and help provide a nutritious meal on Thanksgiving, the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center is seeking donations for children, families, and individuals in our community struggling with hunger and food insecurity.

Last year, the Food Center was able to distribute 1,910 turkeys to help fill traditional holiday baskets and support holiday community meal sites. This year’s goal is to distribute 2,300 turkeys. This is your invitation to make a difference on Thanksgiving and help your neighbors in need through a contribution to the Food Center’s holiday food drive.

In addition to frozen turkeys and chickens, the Food Center encourages donations of stuffing, cranberry sauce, and canned vegetables. Items should not be in glass containers.

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Donations from individuals are welcome, as well as from businesses and organizations that wish to run their own holiday drive and donate the items to the Food Center. Organizations and individuals interested in donating a turkey or non-perishable side dish items can bring them to the Food Center located at 374 Broad Street in New London, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If donations need to be dropped off at a different time, please call ahead to the Food Center first at 860.444.8050.

Since 1988, the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center, a program of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, has played a key role in providing one of the building blocks to a good quality of life by feeding food insecure individuals and families all across our community. The Food Center provides food and household items to nearly 100 free food distribution sites throughout New London County including shelters, food pantries, after-school programs, day care centers, community meal sites, and programs for the elderly. In 2012, the Food Center helped to feed more than 20,000 people each month through feeding sites and the organization’s mobile food pantry.

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The Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center is an official Partner Distribution Organization (PDO) with the Connecticut Food Bank in East Haven, the largest food bank in the state, to provide a product allocation based on poverty levels as determined by the census. In 2013, the Food Center celebrates its 25th Anniversary of addressing hunger and helping those is need in New London County. To learn more visit www.uwsect.org/food-center.



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