ENFIELD — As the needs of residents continue to grow, Enfield Loaves and Fishes wants to ensure that everyone is fed, both at Thanksgiving and year-round.
The nonprofit organization is asking for the public to help by donating at its annual food drive at Stop & Shop on Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 54 Hazard Ave.
“We will be using many items on the high-needs list to help us prepare a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal: turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce, stuffing and an assortment of desserts including a large annual donation of apple crumb pies from Somers Music Patrons,” said Maya Nicole Matthews, executive director for Enfield Loaves and Fishes.
The organization’s Thanksgiving meal will be served on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
“We will be providing one take-out meal per person that is in attendance so that everyone can enjoy a second Thanksgiving meal on the holiday since our doors will be closed,” Matthews shared.
The high-needs list includes butter, juice, Idaho potatoes, French-style green beans, canned yams and gravy, among many other items. The full list can be found on their website, enfieldloavesandfishes.org.
Board members and the local youth soccer organization will be there throughout the weekend to help with the drive.
“We are grateful to Connecticut Foodshare, which is the reason we are able to operate seven days a week. There are still items that we need to buy to make complete meals,” explained Matthews. “Because most of our funding comes from individual donations and the grants that I write, any relief from taking money from our operating budget helps the kitchen stay operational in the long term. Our commitment to feeding anyone and everyone depends on this community effort, and we are so very grateful for your support.”
In addition to preparing for the needs of holiday meals, Enfield Loaves and Fishes continues to work daily to support people who need extra help and somewhere to turn for support.
“We have steadily seen more need, new faces and we anticipate our numbers to continue to increase,” said Matthews. “We want to stress that as people in the community who find themselves slipping past the line where they have to choose between paying a bill or eating, we are here for everyone, no questions asked, with a hot nutritious meal for free and with no questions asked.”
Part of the support the organization provides is filling gaps that no other human services organizations are providing. By partnering with Hartford Hospital and Johnson Memorial for healthcare and Power in a Shower for personal hygiene, the group hopes to provide fully for those in need.
“Staff have been working overtime to bring everyone together to take care of our unhoused population. We need the support of our community members to make sure we can provide the basic needs of combating food insecurity so that we can connect the community with the resources around us and get to the root of their issues,” explained Matthews. “We strive to be the first step in elevating all of those in need to the point where they don’t need us anymore. Then we can work on the next wave coming up behind them.”
