KENT, Conn. —Food is an integral part of the holidays; with prices still in the stratosphere many families are struggling to feel merry and bright. But the generosity of strangers is helping 37 families in Kent to sit down to a traditional Christmas dinner this year.
Volunteers were busy at the Kent Food Bank last Thursday, getting ready for a Friday, Dec. 20, distribution of turkeys and all the fixin’s for a holiday meal. Twelve of the families opted to have the meals prepared for them in the Kent School kitchen.
“We have two programs,” explained Social Services Director Samantha Hasenflue. “They can pick the uncooked meals on Friday and do the dinners themselves, or they can ask for them to be cooked by Kent School and get a pre-cooked meal Monday. It’s my understanding, Kent School has been doing it for a long time.”
Hasenflue said that the demand for the dinners has doubled in the two-years-plus she has worked in Kent. “In order to qualify to receive a meal they have to have been working with my department or TEFAP, which has income guidelines.” TEFAP is the acronym for The Emergency Food Assistance Program, a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low income.
Hasenflue said the money for the Christmas meals “comes from a little bit of everywhere,” including private donations, her weekly order at Connecticut Food Share, and Sunday in the Country Food Drive, which has been delivering turkeys to families in need since 1992.
Sunday in the Country started with two Thanksgiving turkeys for families in need and has grown to provide more than 1,500 turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The turkeys are given out to families throughout the tristate region.
Along with the turkeys, the food bank provides the makings for side dishes. Much of the food is purchased locally.
Hasenflue lauded the volunteers who came out to pack the baskets: Eric Sommerer, her stepfather, who lives in New Milford, Diane Impastato, Leslie Bauchette and Jeanne Colin.
She paid a special tribute to Patti Hicks and Bobbie Davis, who were busy in another room processing foods for the regular food bank shelves. “They come every Thursday to help,” she said. “Sometimes, 1,000 pounds of food is delivered, and they just take it on. We are fortunate to have such a large number of volunteers.”
Anyone who wishes to donate toward food or fuel for Kent residents in need can click here.
