Danbury Daily Bread Food Pantry Weathering Coronavirus Storm

DANBURY, CT — Happily, the demand for food at Daily Bread has slowed down since the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Then, the local pantry was serving around 260 families per twice-weekly distribution. That was 3-4 times the volume of a typical 2019 day.

Not-so-happily, donations have been trending downward of late as well, but the pantry is still serving around 150-180 families per distribution, according to the president of the pantry's Board, Debbie Landzberg.

Organizations like Daily Bread are vital to the often forgotten population who are food insecure, and they have become even more crucial as the coronavirus continues to up-end society. Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief organization, says the virus-related economic crises could push the number of food insecure Americans to 54 million by year's end. That's 17 million more Americans than who were food insecure before the pandemic.

To meet those needs in Danbury, Landzberg said the pantry is looking for food, people and money.

Any kind of non-perishable food makes a welcome donation to the pantry, but needed most urgently are peanut butter, black beans, cereal, tuna fish, and canned corn. These are the popular items the pantry tends to run low on. Soup, canned tomato sauce, rice, pasta, canned fruit, canned vegetables (specifically peas and green beans) also go quick.

"We have been so lucky that people have stepped up, at a time when they really were putting themselves at risk," Landzberg spoke about her volunteer force, but that was in the spring and summer. The pantry's ranks have been thinned by the reopening of colleges, and management is looking to build up their volunteer base. Workers are needed on Mondays and Fridays to handle the influx of clients on-site for the twice-weekly food distributions.

Despite being powered by donations and volunteer workers, Daily Bread still has to write quite a few checks. In the spring, the pantry was buying around 5,000 pounds of food each week. Currently, the demand is for less than half of that, but it's still a sizable chunk of change. Daily Bread is a member of the Connecticut Food Bank, which amplifies its buying power many-fold, so donations go a very long way. You can make yours online at the organization's website.

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Landzberg wants to ensure potential clients and volunteers that the Daily Pantry experience is a safe one. "We do have measures in place, we are all wearing masks, all the clients are spaced and social distanced," she said.

Food insecurity is often thought of as a "poor people's problem," but not all people living in poverty are food insecure, and not all food-insecure people live in poverty. Food insecurity is a complex issue sandwiched in with other systemic challenges, including poverty, low wages, affordable housing shortages, chronic and acute health problems, high medical costs and social isolation.

"This is a fundamental need," Landzberg said. "This lack of food comes before anything else. People need to be fed."

Some of the food pantries and other services available in towns near Danbury are listed below, or inquire at your local town hall or place of religious worship.

• Bethel Community Food Pantry
• Town of Bethel Social Services
• Town of Brookfield Food Pantry
• Bridgeport: Tabernacle Food Pantry
• Bridgeport: Thomas Merton Center
• Bridgeport Rescue Mission
• Danbury: Community Action Committee Of Danbury - New Hope Baptist Church
• Danbury: New Hope Baptist Church
• Darien: Person-to-Person
• Fairfield: Operation Hope
• Greenwich: Neighbor to Neighbor Christ Church
• Newtown: F.A.I.T.H. Food Pantry
• Norwalk: The Open Door
• Town of Redding Community Center
• Shelton: Spooner House
• Stamford: Zion Lutheran Church Food Pantry
• Trumbull: Calvary SDA Food Pantry
• Town of Westport Department of Human Services
• Town of Wilton Comstock Community Center

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.