Maya McFadden Photo
City officials join FISH and New Reach for ribbon-cutting.
Food in Service to the Homebound (FISH) has expanded with a new home in Fair Haven on the New Reach, Inc. campus to increase storage for its expanding food insecure clients and food delivery programs.
FISH has served Greater New Haven for the past 50 years. Its new partnership with New Reach increased the campus’ on-site resources at 269 Peck St.
The 3,000 square-foot warehouse will replace FISH’s old location in West Haven. The larger space will store food for its Grocery Delivery and Pantry-to-Pantry Programs. Between the two FISH delivers free groceries to about 2,000 food insecure, homebound residents a month.
Jill Meyerhoff: We will continue to provide essential services to community.
This past September FISH took over the Pantry-to-Pantry Program created by New Haven’s Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) in response to the pandemic’s effect on an increased demand for food assistance. Pantry-to-Pantry nearly doubled the number of clientele FISH serves. This caused Executive Director Jill Meyerhoff to begin the search for a larger space that could handle the additional food storage required for both programs.
Before FISH arrived, the New Reach warehouse was not being used. The nonprofit moved to the Peck Street campus in March with the hope to offer other nonprofits with office and work space, New Reach CEO Kellyann Day said at a ribbon-cutting held Wednesday.
Kellyann Day: FISH and New Reach values and visions complement each other.
“FISH is working to end food insecurity and New Reach is working right there along side them to end homeless in Connecticut. Together we are making real change,” Day said.
The campus of resources is now equipped with homeless prevention and rapid rehousing services and New Reach’s Furniture Co-op on site. “It was like the stars aligned,” said Day. “Now when we have clients that need food they’re here. Or when they have people that need toiletries we can help each other out.”
Alders Anna Festa and Salvatore DeCola showed their support at the ribbon-cutting as active FISH volunteers. FISH’s clients are 39 percent elderly and 30 percent children, Festa reported.
FISH’s programs have been a crucial part of New Haven’s covid response services, said Community Services Administrator Dr. Mehul Dalal.
City Celebrates Move by FISH to Bigger Peck St Warehouse
Posted by New Haven Independent on Wednesday, March 3, 2021
More info on food/hunger-related issues, organizations:
• Learn about local food waste and recovery: how; why; what you can do
• Act on national food policy
• Help Haven’s Harvest offer surplus food pick-up and delivery connecting business with community in New Haven
• National effort to reduce food waste
Congratulations on the new campus for FISH and the partnership with New Reach. Thank you to these organizations working to feed and help the hungry, the home bound, the homeless, and those struggling to get back on their feet.