MONROE, CT — Monroe Lions Club members presented a $1,540 check to the Monroe Food Pantry Wednesday morning. The money was raised at a dinner held at Coals Restaurant in Norwalk on Nov. 22, which featured live music from the band Old School 203.
Lions Club President Frank Bent gave the check to First Selectman Terry Rooney, Community and Social Services Director Kim Cassia and Eddie Lui, coordinator of the food pantry.
“This money coming in helps to stock our shelves with items,” said Cassia, adding the pantry has a greater need for certain things at different times of the year. For example, snacks for children’s lunch boxes during the school year.
Aside from food, Cassia said the pantry strives to offer toiletries, which is something people cannot buy with food stamps.
The Monroe Food Pantry only serves town residents in financial need, who verify their address by presenting identification and a utility bill. Last year, 150 families, or approximately 750 to 800 individuals, participated in the local program.
The November fundraiser was organized by Anette Savastano, Marisa Getts and Kelly DiIorio, who also attended the check presentation ceremony. Also on hand were Lions Ray Giovanni, Nicole Cignoli, Dave Porado, Mike and Jessica Pfalzgraf, and Bent’s wife, Johanne.
After the check presentation, Lui and Cassia gave Savastano, DiIorio and Getts a tour of the pantry.
Lui told them how a lot of produce comes from a company called Fresh Point. When the company doesn’t have everything on the Monroe Food Pantry’s list, Cassia said local supermarkets fill in the gap with a big order.
“Timing is everything,” Lui said, before sharing the story of how man in North Carolina once donated frozen steaks. “Whoever came the next day, they lucked out.”
Lui said the pantry normally gets meats from the Connecticut Food Bank.
About 8,000 pounds of food goes out of the Monroe Food Pantry every month, according to Lui.
“For some reason, we’re always low on salad dressing, condiments,” he said. “They go fast.”
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