A freezer full of turkeys is ready for distribution at the Trumbull Food Pantry's annual Thanksgiving Basket program at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
A freezer full of turkeys is ready for distribution at the Trumbull Food Pantry's annual Thanksgiving Basket program at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut MediaHoliday food donations wait to be shelved at the Trumbull Food Pantry at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
Holiday food donations wait to be shelved at the Trumbull Food Pantry at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut MediaThe Trumbull Food Pantry's annual Thanksgiving Basket program at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
The Trumbull Food Pantry's annual Thanksgiving Basket program at the Trumbull Senior Center on Monday, November 21, 2016.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut MediaBrown paper bags lined the hallway filled with apple sauce, stuffing and other seasonal favorites.
The simple brown bags contained basic items off the shelves of any local grocery store.
But for hundreds of residents of Trumbull receiving assistance from the food pantry in town, those brown paper bags represent a real meal for Thanksgiving.
“The Trumbull community is just so generous,” Food Pantry coordinator Jane Horton said.
For residents that fit the financial requirements in order to receive assistance from the pantry - about 200 throughout the year - the Thanksgiving Basket program provides the opportunity for families to enjoy the holiday season with help from donations received from the community.
Financial criteria is based on state numbers for public assistance and is determined by the town’s Department of Social Services.
The food pantry serves families of all sizes in town, Horton said.
In order to qualify, annual income and expenses have to be about $23,540 for a family of one — up to $90,000 for a family of nine.
“But most of them are way below that,” Horton said.
Along with being financially eligible, those looking for public assistance through the pantry are expected to meet several other requirements, including proof of residency in Trumbull.
After an appointment with the Department of Social Services, residents that qualify can then schedule a time to come pick up supplies from the pantry once a month.
There are some families that come a handful of times a year, but there are some regulars that use the pantry monthly, Horton said.
While Trumbull has continued to help residents with supports from donations, the neighboring Monroe Food Pantry is having a difficult time this year.
With Thanksgiving just about here, the Monroe pantry is still struggling because donations are down 30 percent from last year, said Director Wendy Jolls.
“I’m hoping we can make it between now and January; I don’t want this to impact my families,” she said.
The Monroe pantry provides service to over 274 families in town, including many seniors, Jolls said.
Residents of Monroe qualify for the food pantry as long as they are able to receive food stamps.
But Jolls said the holiday season is always a busy time of the year and getting those supplies is crucial.
“These people need the pantry. It’s going to be tough,” she said.
Last year, 42.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households— without reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, according Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The organization works with food banks across the country and can be reached at http://ift.tt/HlOw0M/
In Connecticut about 13.1 percent of residents are food insecure, according to the Connecticut Food Bank.
In Trumbull, the pantry was bolstered t combined efforts with the town library, local Stop & Shop, and the police league for donations.
It was through an effort from other organizations and volunteers in Trumbull that the Thanksgiving Basket program was able to give out supplies to residents for another year, Horton said.
“We’re getting turkeys from the police league and the basket brigade,” she said. “We’ve got some turkeys here and there.”
