Shoreline Fire Departments Team Up To Host Food Drive on Saturday, April 2

OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. - March 22, 2016 - PRLog -- For the fifth year in a row, shoreline fire departments will host an area-wide food drive ONLY on Saturday, April 2, 2016 to collect non-perishable food for area residents in need.

The local fire stations will be open to receive donations of non-perishable food ONLY on Saturday, April 2, 2016 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; (new for this year, drop-offs will also be accepted by the OSFD at the Stop and Shop, Old Saybrook, and Big Y, Old Saybrook); Westbrook FD, 15 South Main; Clinton FD, 35 East Main Street; Essex FD and Chester FD, 6 High Street. 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 encouraged 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 ONLY on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Participating fire departments ask those donating food to only drop off food on Saturday, April 2, 2016. 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 the memo field) can be dropped off, as well, on April 2.

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: Stop and Shop, Old Saybrook, and J.A.M.S.S. restaurant, Old Saybrook. This year's Media Partner is 94.9FM NewsNow & Jammin' 107.7 FM, which will host a live broadcast at OSFD headquarters. In addition, the OSFD is proud to announce that Gil Simmons, Chief Meteorologist, NEWS8/WTNH will help out firefighters collecting food at the Old Saybrook Fire Headquarters on 310 Main Street.