Thomaston Pantry

Food Pantry

Thomaston Town Pantry promotes better nutrition by overseeing the distribution of food to low-income families and qualifying individuals.

Our Mission

Distribute supplemental and/or emergency non-perishable food to eligible residents in need

Provide hands on opportunities for neighbors to help neighbors

Educate the public about the issues of hunger in our area    

Items needed: 

Juice-boxes and bottles
Coffee-Decaf. Regular and Instant
Tea
Sugar
Canned milk
Peanut butter and jelly/jam
Canned fruit - in Natural juices
Cereal
Ensure
Cookies/snacks
Ketchup, Mayonaise, Relish, Mustard
Hearty Soups and Stews
Canned-Tuna/Salmon/Chicken/Beef
Rice
Quick prepare meals-spaghetti O's, pasta with meat and sauce
Pasta Sauce- White and Red
Ready to make-cakes and muffins (add water only)
Canned Carrots
Canned Potatoes
Laundry Soap
Dish Soap
Toilet Paper
Paper Towel
Tooth Paste
Body Soap
Deodorant
Personal Hygene Products
CVS-certificates for Diapers (because of different sizes)
PriceRite, Country Grocer, Stop'n Shop-gift cards ($5, $10, 15, $20-small denominations)
 
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE:
Canned Pumpkin
Cranberry Sauce/Jelly
Beans of any kind
Pasta

Pantry Dates and Times

Tuesday evening before the third Wednesday of the month – 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Third Wednesday of the month – 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

**Due to high volume there will be a special distribution date for the month of December only

For information on current Pantry needs, volunteer information or food drive notification please email:

Margaret (Meg) McCreedy
thomastonpantry@yahoo.com
(860) 283 - 9328
Thomaston Pantry, P.O. Box 324, Thomaston, Ct 06787

Food Drive Theme Ideas

CANstruction – build simple or elaborate sculptures using canned goods.

Coin Wars – plan a penny war between classrooms. Each class collects change in a container. Students throw dollar bills into the container of another classroom in order to “cancel out” that class’ change. In other words, change in the container equals “positive” points, while bills equal “negative” points. The team with the most positive points at the end of the war wins!

Canned Immunity Day – allow students to receive immunity for being late, forgetting homework, or being out of uniform if they bring in canned goods.

Food Day – designate days of the week for specific foods, i.e. Macaroni Monday, Tuna Tuesday, Wheaties Wednesday, Turkey Thursday, Fruity Friday.

TGIF (Take Groceries in Friday) – provide brown bags for students to take home and fill with food or encourage them to bring a brown bag lunch and donate the money they would have spent on a school lunch.

Bag Hunger Auction – students collect auction items from home; “sell” admission tickets (cost of ticket = food item), hold the auction, and then the proceeds benefit local anti-hunger organizations.

Challenges/Competitions – organize a contest between classrooms or grade levels with lots of categories:
                                            -largest individual donation
                                            -most protein
                                            -most original design for a food barrel
                                            -raise our weight in food

MEAT the Need – canned meat drive.

Read to Feed – for every book a student reads, a can of food is donated.

Food Drive Event – have an event, party, or school production as part of the drive and charge “food admission” – the admission price = a certain number of food items.

Fruity Fines – for one day or several, the school library allows students to “pay fines” with canned fruit or other food items.

Let the Stars Come Out – use a local celebrity to help increase publicity and contributions.

Fill ‘er Up, Stuff-a-Bus, Fill-a-Truck, Fill A Shopping Cart – fill the Principal’s office, gymnasium, truck, bus or other designated area with food. Outline a map of your state on your gymnasium floor, athletic field, or school grounds and fill in area with food.

No-Show Picnic – host a picnic where no food is served but instead is collected. Visit www.citycare.com/lvfoodbank/events/special.htm for details.

Hunger Walk, Run, Bike, or Dance-a-thon – have sponsors pledge food instead of money.

Specialty Boxes or Bags such as:

(Bridges Reaching the Elderly And Disabled) B.R.E.A.D. Boxes - could contain peanut butter, juice, pasta, beans, cereal, canned foods like tuna, vegetables, fruits and sauces, dry baking mixes, fruit cup packs, and pudding packs.

Bags of Hope – may contain breakfast for a single mother and child, or lunch for 2 senior citizens.

Special Diets  – low-sodium or diabetic.

Women – include iron rich and high-calcium foods.

Kid Packs – may contain macaroni and cheese, alphabet soup, chicken noodle, instant oatmeal, peanut butter, pudding packs, applesauce, cereal grain bars, juice boxes, graham crackers, and fruit cup packs.

New Beginnings Bags – bags filled with “new home supplies” such as oils, spices, baking products, pasta, sauces, and cleaning supplies relieve the cost and burden of setting up a new home to ensure the successful transition from homelessness to independence.

Hot Dish Drive – contain the ingredients to make hot dishes.

Winter’s Coming Drive – donations consist of “winter” items like stew, chili, and hot chocolate mix (don’t forget the marshmallows!).

Bathroom Cabinet Bags – contain items commonly found in your bathroom: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, shampoo or deodorant.

Souper Bowl Sunday – ask your guests to bring a can of soup or stew to your Super bowl party.

Holiday Themes and Event Ideas:

Halloween
          “Take the Mystery Out of Giving”
          “In the Spirit of Giving”
          “Dare to Care”
          “Treat” Your Neighbor Right
           Pumpkin carving contest

Thanksgiving
               "Give Thanks-Give Food!"
                Turkey and Chicken Drive
                "Share the Bounty"

Summer
                "Hunger Doesn't Take Vacation"
                  Summertime Drive
                  Summer Lunch for Kids

Winter Holidays
                “Spread the Cheer This Time of Year”
          “Tis the Season for Giving”

Valentine's Day
                "Giving From the Heart"
                Donate in Honor of your Valentine

Easter
                Easter Baskets for the homeless and/or children
                "Hunt for Solutions to Hunger"

Food Drive Slogans:

"Take a byte out of hunger."
“Hunger’s Heroes”
"No matter how you say it, ‘Hunger Hurts.’"
"Providing better health by curing hunger."
"Hunger – If only words could fix it."
"The hungry are banking on you."
"Bean counters against hunger."
"Check Out Hunger."
"The hungry are counting on you."
"Hunger – go figure."
"The blueprint for feeding the hungry."
"Sleep over to end hunger."
"Let’s get together to end hunger."
"See justice done. Feed the hungry."
"Contract for a better tomorrow. End hunger today."
"Let’s clean up on hunger."
"Building a better community by fighting hunger today."
"Lend the hungry a helping hand."
"Go away…hunger"
"Wipe Out Hunger"
"Fighting a high rise problem – hunger"
"Design a Hunger Free Community"
"The best closing of all: A closed door on hunger"
"A towering problem: Hunger."
"The Ultimate Savings Deposit: Feeding the Hungry."
"Hunger: An unwelcome guest."
"Making Hunger Disappear"
"Turn the Tables on Hunger"
"A City without Hunger is a City with Heart"
“Let’s SAC/BAG Hunger"
“Adios, Hunger!” (For a Cinco de Mayo Party)
“Kids for Kids”
“Cans for Children”
“Super Kids Soup Collection”
“It Makes Cents!” (Coin drive)
“The Power of Change”
"Spare Change Changes Lives”
“Hunger Won’t Wait”
“Raise Your Voice for the Hungry”
"The Hungry: Give them the credit they deserve. Feed them."