To the editor,
Once again, I’m asking those who can to be generous. We are #BristolAllHeart. Each year, I write the “zucchini letter.” It’s been close to 30 years since I was made aware of the needs of our shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens during the summertime. If you have a garden, you can bring extra produce to the places listed below as they suggest. If you don’t have extra produce in your garden, you can buy some and drop it off OR see the lists below with other suggestions for paper goods, gift cards, etc. If you know someone else who can help, please pass this on!
Agape House – (860.261.5733) 43 School Street – Drop off at 43 School St. Monday thru Saturday from 8am to noon. Clothing Ministry: Men’s boxer briefs all sizes, Men’s T-shirts all sizes, Men’s sneakers sizes 9-14, Men’s jeans sizes 30-36 all lengths, Bath towels and facecloths, Male and female deodorants, Male and female razors, Tents, Sleeping bags, flashlights, Men’s basketball and cargo shorts. Food Ministry: fresh vegetables, coffee, sugar, powdered creamer, Fruit, fresh and snack size, paper bowls, paper plates, paper coffee cups, paper towels, napkins, sweet cereals, pop tarts, potato chips, snack bars https://www.theagapehousebristol.org/
Zion Lutheran Soup Kitchen – Meals for Neighbors: (860-589-7744) – 27 Judd St. Only drop off donations from Monday through Thursday – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. They need canned vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, jam/jelly, breakfast items (cereal, oatmeal, etc.), summer condiments (mustard, BBQ sauce, ketchup, dressing, mayo). https://bristolzion.org/outreach/
Brian’s Angels (99 Summer St., Rear of Prospect United Methodist Church@ Center Street – Entrance on Center Street). 12-3 Tuesday-Sunday. Brian’s Angels is serving about 60 clients a day. We are able to take some fresh fruits and veggies that can be easily added to our hot lunches as a side – like tomatoes or zucchini. We could use Subway, McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts gift cards in $5-15 denominations. NEEDS: Water, potato chips, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter or cheese crackers, sugar, cookies, string cheese, yogurt, pudding cups, fruit cups, pop tarts, oranges, bananas, paper towels, cold cups, general cleaning supplies. Tents, sleeping bags, camo tarps, men’s boxers, t-shirts, ladies leggings. Here is our Amazon wish list if this is easier for anyone: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2HWU1OOOVM3NF/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2
Sign up to donate sandwiches or a hot meal. https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/1o1d0q.
Salvation Army: (860-583-4651) – 19 Stearns St. – Dry goods and canned goods including canned veggies, soups, sauce, pasta, rice, peanut butter, jelly, cereal. Also toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Fresh veggies which can be bagged up and given out. Drop off donations on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10-1.
https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/southern-new-england/bristol
St. Vincent DePaul Shelter: (860-589-0702) – 19 Jacobs St. They welcome fresh fruit and veggies. Gift cards to grocery stores are appreciated as they often find better deals on sale rather than using their supplier. CT Transit day passes. They accept donations at any time and if no one answers the bell, call 860.589.0702 to reach a monitor who can take the donation.
Cook’s wish list – potatoes, single-serve snacks, sugar, powdered creamer, coffee, olive oil, butter, whole milk, mayonnaise and herbs and spices.
Maintenance wish list: Home Depot gift cards (You never know what we need to repair).
Additionally, they have updated their current needs on their Amazon wishlist: https://a.co/5bLmiEs
Hand-to-Hand Direct Care Ministries – 465 N. Main Street Bristol. 860-973-3676. Christian ministry which offers furniture, household items, clothing to those in need. Contact them regarding donations.
Friend’s Diners: Lisa Glazier started these. They are cabinets in people’s yards where you can drop non-perishable food, paper goods, diapers, sanitary supplies, etc. Addresses: Rockwell/Divinity Street, 58 Overlook Ave, 53 Concord St., 90 Church Ave (Asbury Methodist Church – against the building).
Organizations which provide food:
HIllside Cupboard – See their wishlist at this link. https://www.hillsidebristol.org/content.cfm?id=148&ministry_id=20
Grace Baptist Church, 736 King Street – Community Food Pantry is Saturdays from 10:00 until noon, (except the 1st Saturday of the month). Drive-through food truck – every other Friday 8:30- 9:15 am. 860.582.3840
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 355 Camp Street, Bristol – Food and diaper distribution first Saturday of the month. 860.582.0629.
Foodshare: https://www.ctfoodshare.org/find-help/
Laura S. Minor
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.