'Valley Has a Heart' food drives slated in Ansonia, Derby, Shelton

The 14th Annual Valley Has a Heart Spooner House food collection will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 9 at two Stop and Shop stores in Ansonia and Shelton, along with the two Adams Hometown Markets in Derby and Shelton. 

The goal is to gather enough non-perishable food to last for at least two months and $5,000 in cash to use for restocking the shelves as needed following the winter months when giving generally decreases. 

The food collection last year netted $4,550 and 2,763 food items. 
The Spooner House website linked above and the list is below indicating the most needed food items this year.

Spooner House is happy to again have Stop and Shop and Adams Hometown Markets acting as the overall marquee sponsors for the Valley Has a Heart drives. 
Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte, and Sterczala, P.C. has agreed to be the site sponsor for both the Stop and Shop drives in Shelton and Ansonia. 
Also for the fifth year, Daniel Jacobs, LLC a.k.a. Hairy Dog Garage, will lead the Derby Adams Market drive. A lead sponsor is pending for the Shelton Adams Hometown Market site.

The Stop and Shop stores where donations can be made are at 100 Division St., Ansonia and 898 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton. 
The Adams Hometown Markets are at 656 New Haven Ave., Rt. 34 Plaza, in Derby and 200 Leavenworth Road, Shelton.

There will be a friendly competition between the two Stop and Shop stores and the Adams Hometown Markets to see who can raise the most dollars and collect more non-perishable food. Shoppers at all locations will receive a Spooner House “Wish List” when they walk in the door with encouragement to donate on their way out. Last year, the Shelton Stop and Shop raised the most money, followed by the Ansonia store and capped off by the Derby Adams Hometown Market.

"Our shelves are almost empty this time of year since most of the donations received around the holidays have been depleted, yet our need remains consistent year round," said Susan Agamy, Executive Director of Spooner House.
"The Valley Has a Heart Food Drive is a great event to help refill our shelves after the winter, looking ahead to meet our clients' needs during the springtime and into the summer months.

"In the summer we tend to see an increase in need because children who receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch in school no longer receive this food assistance while on break, causing parents to rely on food banks such as ours," Agamy added.

Volunteer groups assisting at the various markets during the food drives include the following, with each group also being assisted by Spooner House volunteers and staff:

Ansonia Stop and Shop:

Seymour Starbucks employees

Derby Adams Hometown Market:

Shelton High School Junior State of America student group

Shelton Stop and Shop:

Shelton Youth Service Bureau's Youth to Youth group

Shelton Adams Hometown Market:

Shelton High School National Honor Society

The Spooner House Food Bank wish list includes:

Canned/Powdered Milk

Juices

Soups/Stews/Canned Chili

Tuna

Canned Chicken/Meats/Spam

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Rice

Pasta

Beans (Baked and Dry)

Canned/Instant Potatoes

Stuffing

Canned Fruits

Cold Cereal/Oatmeal

Sauce/Gravy

Tuna Helper/Hamburger Helper

Those unable to visit one of the Stop and Shop stores or Adams Hometown Markets on April 9 are encouraged to still make a donation. 

Please make checks payable and mail to: Area Congregations Together, Inc., Spooner House, 30 Todd Road, Shelton, CT, 06484.  Donations may also be made via PayPal by clicking on the Donate button at www.actspooner.org. 

Deliveries of non-perishable food items are welcome at Spooner House from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

If none of these times is convenient, you may set up a special time for food delivery by calling 203-225-0453 ext. 102 or e-mailing Kate Pipa at kpipa@actspooner.org.

Non-profit Area Congregations Together, Inc. was formed in 1979 to help fill gaps in the Naugatuck Valley’s social service network. 
Today, Spooner House is operated by ACT and is a facility that provides food, shelter and support services to approximately 150 men, women and children each year.  
More than 6,000 individuals have been served by the Food Bank this past year, comprising more than 100,000 meals. 

Spooner House is recognized as one of the most comprehensive emergency shelter programs in Connecticut and through its food bank provides a week’s supply of groceries each month to participating families throughout the Naugatuck Valley. 
Spooner House is devoted to helping people establish self-sufficiency in an atmosphere of respect and dignity. 
Area Congregations Together, Inc. is a partner agency of the Valley United Way.


This is a press release from Spooner House.