There was no shortage of Turkeys this year for Thanksgiving 2023. However, for 1 in 10 Connecticut families, Thanksgiving was a food luxury nearly 400,000 could not afford to have.
There was no shortage of Turkeys this year for Thanksgiving 2023. However, for 1 in 10 Connecticut families, Thanksgiving was a food luxury nearly 400,000 could not afford to have.
On November 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, to address food insecurity in Hartford, Windsor, East Hartford, Manchester, Vernon, New Haven and Sharon, Connecticut, Save Our Schools for Our Kids Foundation (SOS4Oks) in partnership with the Curtis and Sheila Robinson Foundation teamed to feed 200 families of four and as high as ten with a 12–14-pound turkey, a five pound bag of potato from Swaz Potato Farms in Hatfield, MA and the Thanksgiving fixings for a hearty meal.
Since 2020, SOS4Oks have partnered with Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes, Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), and her Deputy Commissioner, Jodi Hill-Lilly to help find families through their directors and managers of those most in need.
Additionally, we teamed with Ret. Hartford Fire Fighter Captain Steve Harris, former President of the Phoenix Society to pull together the turkeys, potatoes, and bags of groceries at The Phoenix. Urban Hope Refugee Church led by Pastor AJ Johnson and his family teamed with SOS4Oks Foundation and the Curtis and Sheila Robinson Foundation to name families from the Barbour Street Neighborhood community in the most impoverished 06120-zip code to come to church to pick up their food.
In addition to families, we reached the elderly community on the Eve of Thanksgiving and Day off to provide people who were unable to venture out to shop and/or were sick and shut in with turkeys.
None of this could have been done without the lead sponsorship support for the turkeys by Carelon Behavioral Health for their partnership with SOS4OK and their support. Additionally, the Curtis and Sheila Robinson Foundation, with a decades and decades long history of giving to those in need sponsored the groceries for the families.
"We are pleased to be a friend and partner with Save Our Schools 4 Our Kids to meet the needs of hungry families," said Justina Torello, President of the Curtis and Sheila Robinson Foundation.
Since July of 2020, Save Our Schools for Our Kids Foundation and its partners have fed over 180,000 individuals and families in three states – Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.
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