Connecticut Food Bank will offer a Drive-Thru Pantry in Fairfield County on Thursday, May 7th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops in Bridgeport. This event will be the largest one-day food distribution in the organization’s history. In conjunction with the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut Food Bank plans to distribute approximately 32 TONS of food at the event, enough to provide approximately 50,000 meals. There are no requirements to attend.
Police officers will be directing traffic toward the distribution from exit 28 for CT-127/East Main Street off I-95N and exit 29 for Seaview Avenue toward CT-130/Stratford Avenue off I-95S.
An estimated 1,500 and 2,000 vehicles will be served at the distribution. Attendees are asked to be in line for the distribution by 9:45AM on Thursday.
Attendees will make their way through the directed traffic pattern of the Bridgeport Police and will not leave the safety of their vehicle. Upon entering the food distribution area, drivers will be asked to open their trunks and volunteers will place the food inside and close the trunk. Drivers can then safely leave the event.
Participants will receive an assortment of food, including bread; yogurt; snacks; two varieties of prepared and packaged soup; and a 20-pound box of assorted fresh vegetables and fresh fruit.
In addition to the Bridgeport event, Connecticut Food Bank will offer additional Mobile Pantry distributions this week in Litchfield, New Haven, and Windham counties at the following locations:
· Wednesday, May 6, 5:30 PM – Faith Church – 600 Danbury Road #1, New Milford
· Thursday, May 7, 3:00 PM – The Rock Church – 513 Meriden Road, Waterbury
· Thursday, May 7, 11:00 AM – Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse – 18 Kennedy Drive, Putnam
· Thursday, May 7, 2:00 PM –East Haven High School, 35 Wheelbarrow Lane, East Haven
Future Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry food distributions are posted at http://www.ctfoodbank.org/mobilepantry.
Connecticut Food Bank “is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our volunteers” through the following measures:
· All volunteers will be given a no-touch temperature check upon arrival. Volunteers with a temperature of 100.4 or above (the recommended threshold from the CDC) will be asked to leave.
· There will be several disinfectant stations. Volunteers should thoroughly wash their hands prior to arrival. Hand washing should last at least 20 seconds under warm water.
· Accommodations are in place to allow volunteers to perform their duties with reasonable social distancing.
· The food bank will provide disposable gloves and the city of Bridgeport will support providing masks for volunteers during their shift.