> Windsor Food & Fuel Bank Receives $10,000 Grant From Niagara Cares
Windsor Food & Fuel Bank Receives $10,000 Grant From Niagara Cares
Bloomfield, Conn. 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 grant will be used to purchase a wide variety of food for the distributions, every week throughout the school year. “We are very fortunate that Niagara supports our organization in such a generous way, especially during these challenging economic times,” explains Ernest T. Perreault, President of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank. “This is the second grant that the company’s Bloomfield location has helped to secure for our Weekend Wheels program since the plant opened its doors in 2017.” “We’re grateful for the work Windsor Food & Fuel Bank provides to our local community especially now during this challenging time for many,” said Gregory Graugard, Plant Director. “We’re honored to assist the Weekend Wheels program ensuring children and families in need have access to nutritious foods.” 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 – totally more than 163,000 pounds of food. “Since the onset of the Pandemic, Weekend Wheels has continued to provide student participants with healthy foods and snacks on a weekly basis through a home-delivery format to help provide food assistance to our families in need,” notes Susan Nunes, Coordinator of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s Weekend Wheels program. “We look forward to resuming our traditional practice of providing backpacks filled with food that children bring home every week – but only when it is absolutely safe to do so.” 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. Niagara Bottling, LLC, has been family owned and operated since 1963. Headquartered in Diamond Bar, CA, Niagara operates bottling facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico. As a leading beverage manufacturer in the U.S., Niagara Bottling works closely with some of the largest retailers, grocers, club and convenience stores throughout the country. Niagara produces a variety of beverages including bottled water, sparkling, vitamin and flavored water, teas and sports drinks. Through Niagara Cares, the company supports local and national charitable organizations and programs by engaging stakeholders, volunteering in the community and investing its resources to support vulnerable children and their families. The core focus of Niagara’s team in Bloomfield is the needs of children and youth. Over the past four years, the company has made special sponsorships to the Town of Bloomfield’s Social and Youth Services to benefit families during the Thanksgiving holiday, and has purchased gifts for underprivileged youth in the community. In collaboration with The Alliance for Bloomfield’s Children (ABC), Niagara’s local team sponsored a free Healthy Kids Fair that featured a Q&A session with local pediatricians and nutritionists, showcased local vendors, activities, and games. Most recently, they provided funds to Bloomfield Public School’s Carmen Arace Middle and Laurel Elementary Schools for the purchase of Chromebooks. For more information, visit www.niagarawater.com. 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. |
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P.O. Box 854 | 860-683-4199
Windsor, CT 06095
http://www.windsorfoodbank.org
info@windsorfoodbank.org