Bill O’Brien Photo
Residents, staff members and Free Branford Kids volunteers gather in the Hospitality Room at Cedar Woods for the check presentation.
Smiling faces filled the Hospitality Room at Cedar Woods senior living and retirement community on Cedar Street recently as the residents and staff joined together for the presentation of a $1,700 check to the “Feed Branford Kids” program, the results of their Dec. 2 Holiday Fair.
The Feed Branford Kids (FBK) program started in 2014 with a mission “to see that all our children have enough to eat EVERY day whether it is a school day, a weekend or a holiday.” FBK is run in cooperation with the Branford Public Schools with oversight from the Branford Food Pantry.
The program offers a weekend backpack program that has no income eligibility requirements and includes children beyond the free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs being offered. Currently FBK is assisting 220 students at an estimated cost of $250 each for the academic year. The total cost to run the program is currently $55,000.
“We are very happy that our Holiday Fair was so successful and we are able to support this program” said Ginger Ghodonius, a resident of Cedar Woods, and the longtime former director of the United Way of Branford. “It’s sad so many children have this need in Branford but it’s good to have so many sponsors that help cover the cost of the program”.
Susan Cosgrove Barnes, a volunteer with FBK and one of the organizers of the program when it started, added, “The need continues to grow each year, and we are always looking for individuals and organizations to sponsor a child for a school year’s worth of meals on the weekends.”
To sponsor a child for the year, donations of $250 can be made out to Branford Food Pantry, 30 Harrison Ave., Branford, CT 06405.
Co-chairs of the Cedar Woods Holiday Fair were residents Peg Ferrucci and Jean Hopson along with staff member Susan Woods. Other residents involved included Joan Panico, Susan Ardito, Rose Giardiello, Joan Hunt, and Andrew Depino. Wendy Cowles represented the Branford Food Pantry.
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