Shoreline CT Fire Departments Team Up To Host Food Drive on, Saturday April 11

OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. - March 24, 2015 - PRLog -- For the fourth year in a row, shoreline fire departments will host an area-wide food drive on, Saturday April 11, to collect non-perishable food for area residents in need.

The local fire stations will be open to receive donations of non-perishable food on Saturday, April 11,  from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The donations will go to five local food pantries run by The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP).

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries organization hopes to include all fire departments in the 11 shoreline towns they serve. Those fire departments already committed to the event include: Old Saybrook FD, 310 Main Street; Westbrook FD, 15 South Main; Clinton FD, 35 East Main Street; Killingworth FD, 333 Route 81; Chester FD, 6 High Street; Niantic FD 1, 8 Grand Street. Essex FD, 11 Saybrook Road and Several other fire departments are expected to participate, as well. Watch for announcements on the Shoreline Soup Kitchens' website at www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org. All area fire departments are welcome to participate.

At a time of year when food donations are low, this food drive will help to restock the pantries and ensure that everyone in our local communities will have a place at the table. The Soup Kitchens' five pantries combine to distribute approximately 17,000 pounds of food every week. Only 40 percent of this food comes from the Connecticut Food Bank; the remainder must be either purchased or donated, so every item is appreciated. Last year’s drive brought in 6,500 pounds of food, and this year’s goal is 10,000 pounds.

Please join the effort by donating food, or by holding a food drive in your neighborhood, workplace, or club, and then bringing it to a participating firehouse on Saturday, April 11. Participating fire departments ask those donating food to only drop off food on Saturday, April 11. Please do not drop off food before that date.

The most needed food items are: canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon); canned fruits and vegetables; peanut butter; canned and boxed meals; canned or dried beans; pasta and rice; and cereal. This year for your convenience, checks payable to: SSKP (with FD Drive in memo) may be dropped off as well onApril 11.

Those items not accepted include: rusty or unlabeled cans; perishable items; homemade items; non-commercial packaged or canned items; alcoholic beverages and mixes; and open or used items.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, as well as the shoreline fire departments, thank the following for their generous donations to this year's food drive: ShopRite of Clinton; Perfect Fit Placement, Berlin, CT; J.A.M.S.S. restaurant, Old Saybrook;

Media partners, Shore Publishing (Harbor News); and Lee Elci, 94.9FM News Now, which will host a live broadcast at OSFD HQ from 9am to 11am. Listen live on  94.9 FM or  www.949newsnow.com.