Struggling families often forgo buying fresh produce because of the high cost. Studies show that junk foods, which pack the most calories and fewest nutrients per gram, are far less expensive than fruits and vegetables.
In CT, 32% of adults and 35% of children don’t eat fruits or vegetables daily.
Only 67% of CT neighborhoods have a healthy food retailer within a half-mile.
In response to the challenges of food insecurity in greater Danbury, UWWC led the community effort to establish the Danbury Food Collaborative which has brought together more than 20 pantries, soup kitchens and nonprofits with a goal to improve access to food, quality of food and sustainability of food in Danbury.
In the past year, the Collaborative has brought in tens of thousands of dollars worth of grants that were used to purchase a total of 14 refrigerators for the food programs and for fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats – items their clients never had access to before.
In the words of a food pantry client named Aaron: “I’m speaking from the heart when I say that what you are doing is a wonderful thing. After getting laid off from my job through no fault of my own, I found community resources to help. I never thought I’d find myself in a position where I’d have to come to a food pantry to get food to eat. Because of you, I never missed having fresh vegetables in my fridge and fresh food to feed my family. I have to say that this program is essential and I share my story because there are a lot of people out there going through hard times and it’s good to know that there is a place where you can go to get fresh food. My deepest thank you.”
Uniting to Address Food Insecurity: Danbury Food Collaborative
In 2013, United Way of Western Connecticut led the formation of the Danbury Food Collaborative, which brought together more than 20 pantries, soup kitchens, nonprofit agencies and organizations to address food insecurity among struggling, hard-working families. Here is how we applied our model for community success for this initiative:
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