Among Friends

News for friends and supporters of the
Friendship Service Center of New Britain

April 2011 - Vol. 3, No. 3

Caring for neighbors in need

In This Issue
Howdy neighbor
Hunger is for the birds
Summer harvest
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

Howdy neighbor! 

A new community partnership has sparked between the Friendship Service Center of New  Britain and the new Marshalls Store in the New Brite Plaza, 76 East Main Street.  The Marshalls Store made possible a community partnership grant from the TJX Foundation for $5,000 to support the Friendship Service Center's emergency shelter and community kitchen.  Marshalls employees also volunteered in the soup kitchen as a way to become more fully engaged in New Britain community life.  Welcome to the neighborhood and thank you!

 

Marshalls gift - April 2011

From left: Suzy Rivera, finance director, and Ellen Perkins Simpson, executive director, Friendship Service Center; Ronell Hargraves, Marshalls store manager; Rachael Davis, supportive housing director, Friendship Center; and Bill Carroll, business development director, City of New Britain.  

Friends launch "Hunger is For the Birds!"

Friends anti-hunger campaign kick-off

Front row (from left): Bonnie McNair, Sharon Orlich, Manon-Lu Christ, Carol Yorker and Margie White. Middle row: Mary Rogers, Nancy Sager, JoAnn Cromwell and Ellen Perkins Simpson. Back row: Kristin Davis, Mabel Yeterian, Evelyn Anderson, Diane Wolf, Betty Carlson, Esther Green and Mary Ann Cianci.

 

When the Friends of the Friendship Center say that a thing is "for the birds", they do something about it.  Last year the auxiliary targeted homelessness in their successful "Homelessness is for the Birds!" project.  This year, their sights are set on HUNGER.

     The Friends have kicked off a new campaign, "Hunger is for the Birds!" with a $1,000 donation to support the Friendship Center's Archangels team in the Walk Against Hunger on May 1.   

     The Friendship Center provides 225 meals daily to residents of the emergency shelter and soup kitchen patrons.  The Walk is an important source of support.  So are financial contributions and in-kind donations from individuals, congregations, corporations, foundations and community groups.  To support the Archangels in The Walk, click the link below.  Then, click on the name of any walker and make a donation.  All gifts, large or small, make a difference.  Thank you!

Click to help an angel end hunger! 

 



Ready for summer harvestHeadline

Summer squash, tomatoes, bell peppers and sugar snap peas... just a sampling of what staff and volunteers at the Friendship Center's community kitchen anticipate coming their way in the months to come.  They are prepared this year with added freezer space, made possible by an inkind gift of a commerical-grade chest freezer from members of Local 1214 of Council 4 AFSCME, representing employees at Charter Oak State College in New Britain and CT Distance Learning Consortium in Newington.

Charter Oak gift 12-2010

Delivery of a new freezer.  From left: Donna Bergin, program director and Sandy Hart, kitchen manager, Friendship Center; Nancy Taylor, Paul Morganti and Carolyn Rogers, AFSCME Local #1214.

The community kitchen has a co-op membership this year in Urban Oaks Farm which will bring in a steady stream of "fresh-off-the-vine" produce.  The membership is part of the Friendship Center's "Eat Fresh!" initiative, a program designed to enrich the nutritional value of soup kitchen meals.   

     "The patrons of our soup kitchen are challenged in unbelievable ways, not the least of which are chronic illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, asthma and obesity," says Gerry Waldo, kitchen director.  "Offering healthier choices can make a difference in their overall health and ability to address other lifestyle challenges such as their homelessness, addictions and unemployment," he says.  "Eat Fresh!" has been made possible by grants from TD Charitable Foundation and the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin.  

            

Thanks to all of our good friends!

 


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Friendship Service Center of New Britain, Inc.
P.O. Box 1896, New Britain, CT 06050-1896
Phone 860-225-0211    Fax 860-348-9040    [email protected]

www.friendshipservicecenter.org