Hunger in Branford

Walking through our beautiful downtown, it’s hard to imagine that many of our residents go to bed hungry. Maybe it’s a neighbor struggling with the loss of a job or reduced hours at work. Perhaps it’s a friend whose family member suddenly became sick or passed away. Maybe it’s the kid sitting next to your child in class…hunger crosses all races, ethnicities, and geographies. Anyone can experience hunger.

Here in Branford, more than 30% of our school children qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. One person in six struggles with food insecurity, when a person or family must choose between paying rent and buying food, or choosing between medicine and buying fruits and vegetables, or paying a utility bill and feeding their family.

We serve a wide variety of Branford residents: the elderly or disabled; the unemployed, the underemployed, and the working poor—people doing everything right yet living paycheck to paycheck and in danger of facing a financial crisis when something breaks, or illness strikes. With a 100% volunteer team, The Branford Food Pantry helps our most vulnerable put a decent meal on the table; we believe that in one of our nation’s wealthiest states, there is no excuse for anyone to go to bed hungry.

Last year, the Branford Food Pantry served an average of 520 families (including seniors and individuals) each month. We partner with local community organizations and the Connecticut Food Bank to find and help neighbors in need. If you or someone you know needs a little extra help to make ends meet, please reach out to us.