DANBURY, CT — Not-So-Fun Fact: 40 percent of families in the Greater Danbury area live at or below the poverty level. That number climbs to 50 percent inside Hat City proper. Pushing back, hard, against those crushing stats has been the Danbury Food Collective, spearheaded by United Way of Western Connecticut.
Daily Bread is the crown jewel among the Collective's network of food pantries. The 35-year-old non-denominational pantry provides food, free of charge, to struggling households, but had been struggling itself with cramped quarters and insufficient refrigeration. That's all changed following a complete interior renovation made possible by an $85,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, through the Mayor's Office and the City of Danbury.
The pantry now sports running water and accessibility for the handicapped, along with upgrades to the heating and cooling systems. Adjustable shelving that now climbs upward toward a vaulted ceiling means the volunteers won't have to stock up as frequently. The gussied-up digs were unveiled following a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Friday.
"Everything is bright and clean, and brings more self-esteem to the clients who don't necessarily want to accept the fact that they need help," said Debbie Landzberg, the organization's board president.
That's a big deal, as many of Landzberg's clients find themselves suddenly in need of the pantry's services following an unexpected job lay-off or another of life's curve balls.
Daily Bread has operated out of the carriage house of St. James Episcopal Church at 25 West Street in Danbury since 1984, and Landzberg cites that relationship as most crucial to the pantry's success. "They have been so supportive over the years and have stood by us throughout the construction period. We couldn't have done this without them!"
The pantry now serves 500-700 different households every month, and about 4,000 different households each year, according to Landzberg. "Every family is invited to visit the pantry once each month, and brings home approximately 50 to 80 pounds of groceries each time they shop. In recent months, our client population has been growing rapidly. About ten new households visit every time our doors open for our twice-weekly food distributions."
On the day we spoke, 80 households had filed through the pantry's doors in a two-hour period, each lugging out anywhere between 50 to 80 pounds of food. Landzberg says that the bigger space with its wider aisles makes all that lugging less onerous, and the expanded refrigeration means more fresh fruit and vegetables will be on the menu.
All that food comes from the generous donations of Danbury area residents. But although the pantry is grateful for all drop-offs of canned goods, Landzberg let Patch in on an industry secret: Cash money is ten times more valuable to a food pantry such as Daily Bread than a donation of food. "Monetary donations go so much further because our buying power at the Connecticut Food Bank is so incredibly great," she said. "For example, a jar of peanut butter might cost us eighteen cents. It's that cheap."
The pantry accepts donations through Paypal and major credit cards on its website.
In a normal week, Daily Bread is open Monday and Friday from 10:00-11:30 a.m., and registered clients may stock up once a month. Thanksgiving week is typically the Super Bowl for food pantries, but Landzberg says this year she has had to direct clients elsewhere as her volunteers are still in the process of getting everything ship-shape.
"Word is getting out that we are doing our best to serve the community, and there is a great need out there in that community."
