Town of Fairfield News
4/23/2014 - Entire Fairfield Community Invited to Attend Historic Food Drive
First Selectman Mike Tetreau announced today that the entire Fairfield community is invited to participate in the Town’s 375th anniversary food drive event which is taking place Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 outside Fairfield Ludlowe High School, 785 Unquowa Road.
First Selectman Tetreau said, “I encourage every member of our community to join fellow residents at this historic food drive which is one of the Town’s key anniversary events highlighting Fairfield’s long tradition of helping others and spreading our spirited volunteerism that makes our Town so unique. The food drive will not only help our neighbors in need, but it will also bring together people of all ages throughout this great community making us stronger, more unified and proud of our history. I want to give special thanks to Food Drive Chair Judge Dan Caruso, Food Drive Executive Director Diane Auray who led the efforts in planning this important event, members of the Food Drive Committee and the Fairfield 375th Anniversary Committee and all of the wonderful sponsors for their tremendous efforts.”
One of the key events marking the Town’s special anniversary year is this weekend-long food drive where members of the Fairfield community are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food donations at the Ludlowe campus between the hours of 8 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 8 am to 3 pm on Sunday. Click here for a list of foods that are being collected and visit http://ffldfooddrive375.org/ for more information about this event.
The Food Drive is also accepting gift cards from Stop & Shop, ShopRite and Whole Foods. Also, anyone from the public who wants to help our struggling residents may also make a financial donation. Every dollar that is donated will go directly towards helping area food pantries, and contributions are tax deductible. Checks can be made out to one of the Food Drive’s partner, the Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as follows: “Eunice Dennie Burr DAR-Fairfield 375 Food Drive”. Donations can also be made through the Food Drive’s website, http://ffldfooddrive375.org/ .
There will be marked drive through lanes to minimize waiting and make it easier for vehicles to get in and out of the campus when dropping off food donations, gift cards, monetary donations or all of the above. There is also parking available for those who wish to stay and enjoy stage coach rides and music.
The food that will be collected at this Food Drive will be given to Operation Hope, The Bridgeport Rescue Mission and The Thomas Merton House. Every week, these organizations help feed hundreds of needy Fairfield families and those living in our surrounding area. Food will also be given to the Fairfield-based A Project From the Heart which is a group of local volunteers who send care packages to our Troops.
The Food Drive, which is chaired by 375 Anniversary Member Dan Caruso, Fairfield’s Probate Judge, is a community-wide effort, bringing together people of all ages. Many organizations, such as churches, synagogues and Town Hall, to name a few, are holding pre-collection drop off sites so people who are not able to come by the weekend food drive can drop off food that will be delivered to the Ludlowe campus.
Judge Caruso said, “We’re looking forward to seeing our community come out and work together to support their neighbors in need. There are many struggling families here in Fairfield and our surrounding towns. They may be a friend, neighbor, relative or a stranger. They are hungry at home and, through this town-wide act of generosity and kindness, may just be able to make it another day, week, month, keep their home and their families together until things get better.”
It is not too late to become a Sponsor—$100 sponsorship opportunities are available to all businesses, families, groups and individuals wanting to make a difference. In exchange for becoming a sponsor, a lawn sign will be displayed along the entrance to the Food Drive, prominently displaying the contributor’s name or the name of the organization or business. For a list of the event’s generous sponsors, please visit the website.
The food drive is also seeking volunteers to greet, check-in, lift, organize, feed, cleanup and so much more during the two-day event. Anyone interested in volunteering can access the food drive’s volunteer sign up page at VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/bKzNPL . Like this community event on Facebook (Fairfield 375 Food Drive) and visit http://ffldfooddrive375.org/ .
For more information, please contact 375fooddrive@gmail.com or (203) 254-5105.