> Grant Awarded to Weekend Wheels
Grant Awarded to Weekend Wheels
Windsor’s Weekend Wheels is a supplemental food program that provides eligible local elementary and middle-school age children with an end-of-week backpack on wheels or drawstring sack, filled with healthy food and snack items. Many students who qualify to receive free or reduced school meals during the week may not receive sufficient nutrition when they are home on the weekends, and this program was created to help to fill that void. This Dunkin’ grant will be used to purchase a wide variety of food for the distributions, every week throughout the school year. “We are extremely grateful to the Coughlin family who have been great partners of our non-profit organization,” explains Ernest T. Perreault, President of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank. “This is the third Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation grant in just four years that the Coughlins have helped to secured for Weekend Wheels. In addition, all four of their Windsor Dunkin’s have long showcased our ‘loose change’ collection boxes next to their registers. Thanks to their generous Dunkin’ customers, donations of coins and bills have added up to substantial funds that help us to continue our mission to assist local families in need.” “We are happy to be able to support organizations like the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank that do so much to help keep our communities going, especially during extreme times like this,” says John Coughlin, Dunkin’ franchise owner. “Children are among the most vulnerable members of our communities and we need to ensure that their basic needs are being met so they can focus on school.” The Windsor locations are at 700 Poquonock Ave., 446 Bloomfield Ave. (Sunoco), 503 Windsor Ave., and 1010 Kennedy Road (Shell). Founded in 2006, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 organization powered by Dunkin' and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners, and employees. Its mission is to provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s Weekend Wheels is currently in its ninth program year of operation. Since its establishment, the effort has expanded from two Windsor schools to five and includes home-schooled students. It has distributed more than 17,000 food filled backpacks and drawstring bags to students – that is over 163,000 pounds of food! “Prior to COVID-19, student participants would bring home from school a backpack or drawstring bag on Thursday or Friday of each week, filled with: shelf milk; juice; breakfast, lunch and dinner items; canned fruits and vegetables; a school snack bag; and fresh produce and bread,” notes Susan Nunes, Coordinator of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s Weekend Wheels program. “Then on Mondays, they would return the backpacks to school to be refilled for pick up later that week. But when schools closed this past March, Weekend Wheels quickly changed our distribution format to home delivery, without missing even one week. Today, even though Windsor schools have reopened, we continue our home delivery format and will do so as long as necessary to help provide food assistance to our families in need.” If you would like to register for Weekend Wheels or want information about holding a neighborhood or community food drive, please contact Weekend Wheels coordinator Susan Nunes at 860-285-1839 or email weekendwheels.info@gmail.com. About Dunkin’ Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 14 years running. The company has more than 13,000 restaurants in 41 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com. The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin' and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, children's hospitals and nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and joyful experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $26 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, please visit http://www.bringjoy.org. The Windsor Food & Fuel Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1967 as the Windsor Community Service Council (WCSC). The all-volunteer Board, along with our partners at Windsor Social Services, works to accomplish our Mission of ensuring that no Windsor resident goes hungry, is cold, or is without basic necessities. The generosity of local individuals, businesses, civic and religious organizations provides for 95 percent of the WF&FB’s annual operating budget. If you are a Windsor resident and not a current client of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank but find yourself in need of food assistance, call the Windsor Social Services office at 860-285-1839, Mondays through Fridays. Information is also available at www.townofwindsorct.com/social-services and at www.windsorfoodbank.org. |
