St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop in Derby to reopen Monday after Easter holiday

We wish all of you a joyous Easter and a beautiful spring!

Great thanks to our big-hearted supporters who helped us provide Easter food, groceries, and handmade Easter baskets to so many Valley families in need.

As we take a few days off with our families, we look forward to reopening on Monday, April 21 with some great new sales and a very full schedule of pantry appointments.

Don't forget, we'll be open late these Wednesdays until 6 p.m.!

This is shared from the nonprofit's Facebook page.

Seymour Oxford Food Bank seeks sponsors for Thanksgiving dinners

250 families [as of the organization's Oct. 30 post] have already signed up to receive a Thanksgiving meal from us. We are full of gratitude for all the donations our community has already contributed to fulfill the great need.

Please consider sponsoring a family meal or a portion of the meal.

Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. You bring blessings to others with your contributions.
The Seymour Oxford Food Bank is at 20 Pine St., Seymour.

Click this link to donate.https://seymouroxfordf.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay...



This is shared from the Seymour Oxford Food Bank's Facebook page.

Seymour Oxford Food Bank seeks sponsors for Thanksgiving dinners

250 families [as of the organization's Oct. 30 post] have already signed up to receive a Thanksgiving meal from us. We are full of gratitude for all the donations our community has already contributed to fulfill the great need.

Please consider sponsoring a family meal or a portion of the meal. 

Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. You bring blessings to others with your contributions.

The Seymour Oxford Food Bank is at 20 Pine St., Seymour.

Click this link to donate.https://seymouroxfordf.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay...

This is shared from the Seymour Oxford Food Bank's Facebook page.

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop in Derby seeking toy donations

IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO ONCE-LOVED TOYS! 

We are excellent at finding new playmates for toddler toys, learning toys, collectibles and more! 

OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY 9:30 TO 2:30, 237 ROOSEVELT DRIVE, DERBY. 

Please just drive around back to donate!

This is shared from the nonprofit's Facebook page.

St. Vincent de Paul in Derby in dire need of donations for food bank

We have NEVER experienced such a high level of need outside of a holiday season, and our shelves look it. 

Please consider "shopping the sales" and drop off a bag of food, or two or three. We, and your Valley neighbors in need would be grateful! 

Any non-perishables are welcome! We're here Mon to Sat 9:30-2:30, 237 Roosevelt Drive, Derby. 

Questions? Call 203-734-7577.

This is shared from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop and Food Bank of Derby Facebook page. 

Walnut Hill Community Church in Derby to hold food distribution Wednesday

 

Master's Table to start Food 2 Kids outreach program at Mead School in Ansonia

ANSONIA - Master's Table Community Meals has announced that starting in September it will take part in a new outreach program called Food 2 Kids. 

This is a nationwide program (it may go by different names) but the goal is the same - to provide school-aged children with food for the weekends. 

Master's Table will work with staff at John C. Mead Elementary School in Ansonia to determine the 12 neediest kids to start with for this program. 

Master's Table will provide a bag of food to the
children consisting of granola bars, shelf stable milk, microwave meal, etc. 
The organization will be assisted by Mead School in making sure the bags are delivered in a way other children won't find out and the names of the children will be confidential. 

In the coming months Master's Table will be  raising money for food costs and supplies. The organization will have a breakdown of its costs if anyone would like to sponsor a child for a week or year. 

This is from a release from Master's Table Community Meals.

Cassetti seeks toy donations for needy Ansonia children

Mayor David S. Cassetti

ANSONIA - Mayor David S. Cassetti asks residents and visitors to donate a new toy for boys and girls in need in Ansonia.

Please stop by and drop a new toy off in our toy bins at City Hall donated by Burns Construction or at one of our other drop-off points at Spector Furniture or Road Ready Used Cars.

This is shared from the City of Ansonia Facebook page.

Ansonia, Aldermen to join Salvation Army in providing turkey dinners to local families

 The Salvation Army Greater Valley Corps is at 26 Lester St., Ansonia. 

For information call 203-736-0707.

2-1-1 Connecticut can help needy residents with obtaining groceries

Individuals struggling to afford groceries can obtain free food items from local food pantries. 

Soup kitchens, which typically provide meals at no-cost, are mostly providing grab-and-go food options during this time and can also be a good option for those who need grocery items. https://bit.ly/2X0bTLz


Information shared from the 2-1-1 Connecticut Facebook page.

Ansonia High DECA students donate toiletry bags to Valley United Way

Members of Ansonia High School DECA donated holiday toiletry bags to be delivered to those in need. 
Pictured from left: DECA President Anna Msciwujewska, Patricia Tarasovic from the Valley United Way, and DECA co-advisor Karen Phipps.


Shared from Ansonia Public Schools' Facebook page.

Derby PD Auxiliary to hold food drive next Sunday at ShopRite

DERBY - The Derby Police Department’s Auxiliary Unit will hold its third Annual Holiday Food Drive to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 18 at ShopRite, 49 Pershing Drive. 
At the “Stuff-A-Cruiser” event, officers will accept non-perishable food donations to feed needy Derby families.

According to data compiled by the Valley United Way, 12 percent of Valley adults reported experiencing food insecurity. 
Over the last two years with your help, this food drive stuffed a total of 13-1/2 cruisers and eight large SUV cruisers with over $40,000 worth of food!

Give while you check your own Thanksgiving shopping off your to-do list. 
As you celebrate with your family and loved ones this holiday, know that you helped provide for families that might otherwise go hungry.


This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Ansonia restaurant collecting clothes, blankets for homeless

Boy sets up cider stand in Derby, uses proceeds to help Branford food bank

Here's a feel good story contributed by Cindy Barbian, manager at St. Vincent De Paul thrift shop on Roosevelt Drive in Derby:

DERBY - This 12-year-old boy, JD, lives in Branford, and his grandparents live in Derby near St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop and Food Bank.  

Barbian said each year he comes out to the parking lot on Park Avenue behind the SVDP building and sells something.

Last year JD sold lemonade and chocolate chip cookies; this year he sold apple cider.  

With the proceeds he purchases canned goods for a food bank in his hometown of Branford. 

Kudos to JD for caring for those less fortunate in his community!

Ansonia EMTs donate air conditioner, install it for city woman

Billy Bieber carries air conditioner to Ansonia resident in a second-floor apartment on Sunday. 

Bieber installs the unit for the woman who was living in a stifling apartment.
ANSONIA - ARMS member Krystle Bieber did a little something extra special today. 
While on a call last week, she attended to a patient in an extremely hot second-floor apartment for an unrelated medical issue. 

The woman’s air conditioner had broken and the heat was unbearable in the apartment.
Today, [Sunday] Krystle and her brother Billy (also an ARMS member) delivered an air conditioner to this woman that they had at their home and wasn’t being used. 
Billy installed the unit in the woman’s window for her and got the cool air flowing; she was so appreciative.
Just another example of the amazing and selfless people we have working here.

*Shared from the City of Ansonia Facebook page.


Kudos to Krystle and Billy for going above the call of duty to help this resident stay cool during the hot weather.

Shop, support food bank at St. Vincent De Paul in Derby

The SVDP thrift shop and food bank are located at 237 Roosevelt Drive, Derby. The sale runs through Saturday. 

For information, call 203-734-7577.


* Shared from the SVDP Facebook page.

Seymour to start community garden

Sharing from the Office of the Seymour First Selectman's Facebook page:

Seymour is getting a community garden! 
We have partnered with the Valley United Way to create a community garden at the Community Center that will benefit those in our community who suffer from food scarcity. 
If you're interested in volunteering, please see the attached flyer for information. 
Also, come to our kickoff event Friday, May 4, if you're interested!

Newsletter: Salvation Army in Ansonia, puzzle contest in Shelton, more

Dear readers,

Our latest Valley Voice newsletter features the Salvation Army Greater Valley's food pantry in Ansonia, a watercolor workshop at E Street Gallery in Derby, more.

Thanks for reading,

Patti and Ralph

Branford Lions Club donates $1,000 to BHcare's Clothing Bank

Contributed photo

BHcare's Clothing Bank recently received a $1,000 donation from the Branford Lions Club. 

The money was raised during an annual Octoberfest event. The Branford Lions Club has been a loyal supporter of the Clothing Bank for many years.

For more than 35 years, BHcare has been providing hope and help for individuals, families, and children affected by mental illness, domestic violence, and substance abuse. 

The BHcare Clothing Bank is an outreach program of BHcare that provides clothing to those in need. 

Thanks to generous donors, the Clothing Bank supplies clothing, shoes, accessories, baby gear, linens and personal care items for than 3,000 individuals and families each year. 

Clothing Bank clients can visit monthly and select several articles of clothing for each family member for a nominal charge of $20 per year. 

We need the help of the community for both donations and volunteers to assist at the Clothing Bank. 

For more information contact Jim Lamb at jlamb@bhcare.org or 203-641-5638.

The Clothing Bank is located in the Patricia C. Andriole Volunteer Service Center, 30 Harrison Ave., Branford. 

Hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Regional community provider

BHcare is a regional community provider of behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven, and Shoreline communities. 

For more information, visit www.bhcare.org.

This is a press release from BHcare.   

Donate winter clothing at 3 Shelton locations to benefit Valley United Way