Emergency Food Sites Extended Through October

Emergency drive-thru food distribution sites will stay open in Connecticut through October. Originally scheduled to end in August and then September, Connecticut Foodshare announced another extension for its eight sites across the state.

"There are still 480,000 people in the state of Connecticut who are food insecure. That is a much higher number than what it was pre-pandemic," said Jason Jakubowski, president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare.

While the need is not as great as it was this time last year, Jakubowski said that each of their eight emergency food distribution sites are still seeing about 1,000 cars a week. With funding help from the state, the sites will stay open through the end of this month.

The food distribution schedule is:

• Norwich, Every Monday 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Parking lot across from Pistol Pete’s Bar and Grill 28 Stonington Road, Norwich, CT 06360
• East Hartford, Every Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Old Showcase Cinema 936 Silver Lane, East Hartford, CT 06118
• Norwalk Every Wednesday, • 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Veteran’s Memorial Park 42 Seaview Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06855
• West Haven Every Thursday, • 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Vertical Church 225 Meloy Road, West Haven, CT 06516
• Bristol Thursday 10/21 • 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 95 Vincent P Kelly Road, Bristol, CT 06010
• Bridgeport Every Saturday • 7:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 1316 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610
• Putnam Saturday, 10/9, 10/30 • 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Putnam Elementary School 33 Wicker Street, Putnam, CT 06260
• Danbury Every Saturday • 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Danbury High School 43 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, CT 06811

Angel Arriga lives in Uncasville and attends the Norwich site every week to get food for himself and two older neighbors. He said is thankful for the extension.

"Because I don't have to think about the food, I can pay my bills," said Arriga. "That means the world to me."

While the drive-thru sites will stay open for a little while longer, Connecticut Foodshare is reminding people to connect with more permanent resources in their communities.

"Because that's what is going to sustain them in the long run. We are being very upfront about the fact that these emergency drive-thru distributions are not going to last forever. They are very expensive. They are very inefficient," said Jakubowski. "We are going to stop them at some point in time, but our 700 pantries and mobile sites across Connecticut, those are things that will endure."

To find a food pantry near you, click here.