Main Street Community Foundation recently awarded nearly $20,000 in grants to various food pantries benefiting the residents of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott. During the application period for MSCF’s general grant cycle, a time when nonprofit organizations serving residents of the Foundation’s service area are encouraged to apply for grants, MSCF noticed an increased number of requests from food pantries and organizations providing food. Knowing food insecurity is one of the largest issues in the communities, the grants were expedited and awarded to these organizations in order to meet the growing need.

The organizations benefitting from the expedited portion of this grant cycle are as follows:

• Connecticut Food Share received a $3,720 grant from the Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund and the Turkus Family Fund, to support the Mobile Food Pantry, which supplies meat, dairy, and produce to underserved neighborhoods in Bristol, Burlington, and Southington.
• Grace Baptist Church, located in Bristol, received a $3,800 for their Grace Pantry program from the Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund, the Ronald F. & Emilie P. Duhaime Family Fund and the Tedesco-Gallant Charitable Fund to purchase fresh food items including meat and produce.
• Plymouth Community Food Pantry, located in Plymouth, received a $5,450 grant from the Edward W. and Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund, the Paige Wartonick Laferriere Memorial Fund and the Betts Family Fund to purchase low-salt and low-fat foods, dairy, and fresh produce for the Healthy Options Program Plus.
• Tabernacle Christian Church received a $4,000 grant from the KAWFY Memorial Fund for the Giving Back Food Pantry program to purchase groceries and fresh foods for residents of Southington and surrounding areas.
• Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, located in Bristol, received a $3,000 grant from the Smith Family Charitable Fund for the Meals for Neighbors program to purchase food for the pantry and soup kitchen.

Main Street Community Foundation is proud to meet the emerging needs of the communities it serves thanks to the generosity of local donors.