Even if you don’t see it or hear it, some of our neighbors are hungry, cold

and without basic needs.

We’re working to change that.

Hunger ... cold ... desperate need. It’s easy to think it doesn’t happen here in Windsor, but it does.

Too many people throughout our town—people you see in stores, outside schools and on the Green—are struggling to adequately feed them-selves and their families. They’re finding it hard to heat their homes during our long winters. They can’t afford urgent and unexpected expenses.

They may be senior citizens or parents of young children. They may be any of Windsor’s diverse ethnicities.

They are our neighbors.

That’s why the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank is here: to make sure our community sees and an-swers the often silent, invisible need.

Windsor Food and Fuel BankJane Garibay, President

860-683-4199jane@windsorcc.org

www.windsorfoodbank.org

Windsor Food BankP.O. Box 854

Windsor, CT 06095860-683-4199

Let no person go hungry, be cold or go without basic necessities.

What does hunger sound like? What does

cold look like?

Founded in 1967 as the Windsor Community Service Council, the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank is a non-

profit organization operated and supported by concerned volunteers. We advocate for anyone in the Town of Windsor who is hungry, cold or lacking basic

necessities. In addition to raising all the funds and food distributed by the Windsor Social Services department,

we also spread awareness of the need and develop programs that meet the need.

Writing + design by Cerebration • (860) 298-9224 • www.cerebration.bizPrinting by Konica Minolta • www.konicaminolta.us

Windsor Food and Fuel Bank

Windsor Food and Fuel Bank

Through the generous donations of Windsor citizens, corporations, schools and religious and civic organizations, the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank helps our neighbors in need, primarily through the Food Bank, the Fuel Bank and the Basic Needs programs.

Food Bank

Located at the L.P. Wilson Community Center, the Food Bank provides supplemental food for low-income Windsor residents. Our shelves are stocked with dry and canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meat. The Food Bank, open Monday through Thursday, is coordinated and staffed by Social Services with the support of many dedicated volunteers.

Well over 500 Windsor households are registered with the Food Bank, which means that we are helping between 2,000 and 2,500 people. These numbers have increased substantially in recent years; the need is real and growing.

We accept donations of shelf-stable food. Monetary donations are used to buy discounted food in bulk from Foodshare of Greater Hartford.

Programs we support include:

• Groceries to Go. Every other week, seniors can choose from a variety of easy-to-prepare and nutritional food to supplement the food they are able to buy on their own.

• Weekend Wheels. Each Friday, schoolchildren who re-ceive free and reduced meals during the school week take home a backpack filled with nutritious foods.

• Mobile Foodshare. This mobile pantry provides fresh fruits and vegetables to individuals and families in need twice a month.

• Summer Meals Program. Each day during summer recess, we provide a meal and activities to chil-dren who would receive free and reduced meals at school—feeding 125 children and caregivers per day.

Fuel Bank

The Fuel Bank insures that no one is cold or goes with-out power. During the winter, grants are awarded to households to pay for heating after they have exhaust-ed their own funds and state benefits. Year round, we award grants to prevent the disconnection of electric-ity.

Each year, approximately 50 households receive assis-tance from the Fuel Bank, a number that has increased over time as the need has grown.

Basic Needs and other programs

We also help Windsor residents afford temporary and often unexpected everyday necessities. These can include medications and other medical expenses; bus passes for transportation to doctors or work; and thrift store vouchers to purchase clothes and other items after a house fire or other catastrophe.

How you can give helpThere are many ways you can support the Food and Fuel Bank:

• Donate cash. We accept donations online as well as by mail. Many people make donations in memory or honor of a special person.

• Volunteer to work at the Food Bank. We always can use your hands-on help.

• Volunteer to support our operations. Put your mar-keting, administrative or other skills to work for a great cause.

• Hold your own food drive with friends, neighbors, coworkers or members of your community organiza-tion. We’ll give you plenty of help!

How you can get helpIf you or someone you know is in need of assistance with food, fuel or other basic necessities, please let us know!

• Call Social Services at 860-285-1839

• Visit www.townofwindsorct/socialservices

How we help

The Food and Fuel Bank fights hunger and need by raising funds and accepting food donations. Among the ways we do that are:

• Coordinating food drives, either at local grocery stores or hosted by businesses and organizations

• Assisting our corporate partners with fundraisers, such as Dress Down Days

• Conducting an annual appeal

• Helping FoodShare run its Thanksgiving Food Drive

• Writing grants to obtain state and federal funding

Our affiliation with the Town of Windsor and Social Services

The Town houses the Food Bank pantry, and the amaz-ing Social Services staff, working directly with those in need, administers all the programs we support.

Our partners

With no paid staff, the Food and Fuel Bank relies on the contributions of business and individuals. Our work is made possible only through the generosity of our community and our many partners, including:

• FoodShare

• End Hunger Connecticut!

• Town of Windsor Hunger Action Team

• Businesses such as The Hartford, Voya, Konica Minol-ta, Alstom Power and many more

• Grocery stores, including Stop & Shop, Geissler’s and WalMart

• Individuals throughout the area who volunteer and donate cash and food

Our events

We present or participate in events throughout the year to raise money and awareness for our work, in-cluding:

• FoodShare’s Walk Against Hunger

• Annual Appeal

• FoodShare’s Thanksgiving Food Drive

• Monthly Stop & Shop food drives

• Windsor Churches’ Craft Fair

• Color Run