Opportunity To Volunteer In Chester

CHESTER, CT — The Chesster Long-Term Recovery Task Force is seeking volunteers.

The Committee recently had the opportunity to train and collaborate with 23 additional volunteers, Town Hall employees, and several organizations to assist over 1,500 Chester residents in obtaining appointments for their COVID-19 vaccines.

According to the weekly Chester Town e-mail, now, as the weather warms and farmers begin to harvest early crops, the Committee is turning its focus to promoting food security. Thanks to generous donations from the community, the Chester Food Pantry is stocked with a wide variety of nonperishable foods and pantry staples. And, thanks to the efforts of Rosie Bininger and volunteers, residents have also been able to receive locally purchased fresh and frozen foods, as well as, donated pantry foods each week.

Later this Spring/Summer Social Services and the Committee will be replacing the Sunday Food Pantry Distribution with a Tuesday afternoon/evening drive-through food pick up at the Town Hall for residents in need. This effort will be volunteer-run. The Committee is seeking volunteers to help with the following:
Shoppers: Purchase nutritious, perishable food items from Adam’s + deliver to Town Hall on Tuesday mornings.

Baggers: Package pantry staples and fresh perishable foods for weekly distribution Tuesday afternoons.

Curbside Team: Deliver bagged food items to cars (Tuesdays 4:00-6:00).

The Committee is also excited to announce a special opportunity for local gardeners to get involved in its efforts to increase food security, asking home gardeners to consider planting an additional row of veggies (grow a row) that can be donated to the Chester Food Pantry throughout the summer. Produce donations will be collected in coolers at Town Hall on Tuesdays before 1 p.m. You must register to participate in Grow a Row.

If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities, please contact Jenny at Town Hall: 860. 526.0013, x 202or via email at adminassistant@chesterct.org to have your name added to the volunteer list. Please provide your name, telephone number, email address, and the volunteer opportunity (e.g,, Grow a Row, shopper, bagger, curbside Team). A volunteer coordinator will get in touch with you, schedule a training and assist you every step of the way.

If you have questions about the Committee, please contact Kimberley Megrath at Kimberley.Megrath@gmail.com or 727.599.9545. If you have questions about our new community project to combat food insecurity, please reach out to Allison Abramson at Allison@ttysb.org or call 860.526.3600.