Housatonic Food Train: Village Food Donation Pick-up Helps Fill CHP Food Shelves
Carol and Ellen delivering food to CHP Family Services
On the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, neighbors in Housatonic village leave groceries outside their doors for pick-up by a Housatonic Food Train volunteer. Vehicles are packed to the brim loaded with supplies to restock shelves of CHP’s food assistance programs.
The Food Train came about in the early months of COVID-19 as local food needs at CHP surged. Posting in the Housatonic Neighbors Facebook group, Ellen Lahr gauged interest and found that people wanted to help. On that very first Sunday, her car was packed! “I assumed some people who might normally drive to a food bank to make a donation may not want to leave home,” said Ellen. “This seemed like a way to help donors and CHP.”
The Food Train is growing, as is the need for CHP’s food assistance program. Now, a small crew of rotating drivers shares the pickup and drop-off job. Thank you Ellen for thinking “outside of the box” and coordinating these efforts!
“The generosity of the Housatonic Food Train has been such a creative and wonderful help,” says Mary Feuer of Family Services. “With the cold weather coming, this effort will help us to continue assisting families who may have to choose between fuel and food. It is so great to see neighbors helping neighbors.”