Publication: In Your Northwest Corner
Originally Published April 29, 2021
Increased Support in Difficult Times
Fishes and Loaves Pantry, a mission of North Canaan Congregational Church, provides nutritional food to members of the community in need. The Pantry provides food support to about 120 people per week, including many children.
Unemployment related to the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the need for basic needs supports across Connecticut and in our Northwest Corner.
"We have seen seen an increase of up to 50% in the number of households seeking supplemental nutrition, more young families, several with four children," said Louise Riley of Fishes and Loaves Pantry.
Recent grants from the Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives: Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund and Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives crowdfunding initiative enabled Fishes and Loaves Pantry to purchase PPE and cleaning supplies to keep volunteers safe and provided for the purchase of additional food to meet growing needs.
Remote Enrichment Programs Encourage Learning and Creativity
SOAR Educational Enrichment of Lakeville provides in-school and after school enrichment programs, including mindfulness, cooking, farming, technology and programming, fine arts, and theater arts.
"With the Covid-19 crisis continuing, we knew that the 2020-2021 fiscal year would present numerous planning and financial challenges for SOAR and the families we serve," said Linda Sloane of SOAR Educational Enrichment.
Through a grant from Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives crowdfunding initiative and Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund, SOAR provided 14 no-cost online enrichment classes covering a wide range of topics.
A grant from the Northwest CT Community Foundation Echo Valley Foundation Fund supported remote enrichment classes for Salisbury Central School students throughout the school year.
"The kids look forward to the classes and emerge from their computer screens proud and elated to display their latest creation, be that a homemade weathervane, a charcoal painting, a felt owl, or a bit of coded videogame," said a parent of a SOAR Educational Enrichment participant.
Getting the Tools to Get there Safely
The Robert C. Geer Memorial Hospital (d/b/a Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center) is part of a Senior Community that provides housing and healthcare to a broad range of senior citizens throughout rural Northwest CT.
The organization provides transportation to residents of the Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the Assisted Living Facility for their non-emergency medical and personal needs with a small fleet of buses and vans.
"GEER provides the Dial-a-Ride services to bring our community seniors and disabled individuals to doctors appointments and meet their basic needs," said Stacie Nicholas of The Robert C. Geer Memorial Hospital.
"Due to the Covid-19 virus, we needed to modify our vehicles to create a protective barrier (ie. plexiglass or vinyl sheeting) between the drivers and passengers to limit the possibility of exposure to both individuals."
Recent grants from the Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives crowdfunding initiative and Northwest CT Community Foundation Northwest Corner Gives: Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund enabled Geer to fit their vehicles with protective barriers that meet Department of Motor Vehicles and federal safety standards.
