This year, the law firm of Jacobs & Wallace was honored to join the Connecticut Food Bank in helping to support their mission to end the hunger struggle in Connecticut. There are nearly half a million residents in Connecticut who are food insecure and the holiday season is a perfect time to support our neighbors in need.
Hunger In CT
A number of Americans have the misconception that Connecticut is too wealthy to have hunger residents- this stereotype is far from the truth. Hunger is a true struggle in Connecticut, especially during the cold winter months. Approximately 1 in 8 people struggle with hunger in our state. Of these, 1 in 6 are children, who in addition to seniors, working parents, and people with disabilities, are the most at risk for food insecurity.
Residents struggling from hunger are often torn between eating and living, stretching their finances in a number of different directions. In a 2014 survey of Connecticut clients participating in food pantries and soup kitchens:
- 73% of residents had to choose between utilizes and food
- 68% of residents had to choose between medical care and food
- 63% of residents had to choose between rent and food
Individuals who suffer from food insecurity are more at risk for a number of other negative consequences others than an achy stomach: illnesses, chronic diseases, a decline in physical and mental health, poor academic achievement, social anxiety, aggression and more.
The Connecticut Food Bank
Fighting back against hunger is a tireless mission that the Connecticut Food Bank has been dedicated to for over 36 years. Founded in 1982, the Connecticut Food Bank partners with retailers, growers, donors, and volunteers to source and distribute food to programs that help food insecure individuals and families in our local communities. The Connecticut Food Bank services more than 300,000 people in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham counties, last year preparing more than 21 million meals!
The Connecticut Food Bank fights back against hunger by direct food distribution programs, working with affiliated member agencies such as Feeding America and End Hunger Connecticut!, as well as spreading awareness on the hunger epidemic in the state. Products provided by the Connecticut Food Bank go to shelters, food pantries, residential programs, day programs, and soup kitchens to help those struggling get the nutrition they need to survive. They are the largest centralized source of emergency food in Connecticut, but they always in need of more help.
Jacobs & Wallace Fights Back Against Hunger
When presented with the opportunity to partner with the Connecticut Food Bank for the second year in a row, our team jumped at the chance. To help spread awareness, Jacob & Wallace donated $1 for every Like received on our Facebook page to be used to provide meals to those in need. Even $1 provides a meal to two children and with the help of our friends and supporters, our team was able to donate $1,163 to Connecticut Food Bank- 2,326 meals!
On December 19th, our team also volunteered at the Connecticut Food Bank warehouse in Bridgeport, jumping in to help combat hunger in CT by sorting and packing food. We helped pack 520 meal-kits filled with food, drinks, and snacks to be put discreetly into children’s backpacks on Fridays to make sure food-insecure children had meals to eat over the weekends when school food programs are unavailable. The experience was extremely eye-opening. So many of these struggling individuals and families live in our very own backyard. It was humbling to see just how many of them a few dollars can feed.
To find out more about the Connecticut Food Bank and how you can help out this worthy cause, visit their website at http://www.ctfoodbank.org/ and consider volunteering in a community near you.
