Empowering Communities: How Kiwanis is Fueling Local Food Pantries

On January 25, the Weston Kiwanis Club held a successful food drive at the shopping center. Thanks to the generosity of local residents, we collected over 100 bags of food and personal care items, along with more than $1,200 in donations for the Weston Food Pantry.

Despite the chilly mid-teen temperatures, members of Kiwanis and the high school Key Club were out in force, warmly engaging shoppers at Lilly’s Weston Market and Weston Pharmacy. According to Anne Bigin, who oversees the food pantry, this event was not only about collecting essential goods but also about building community spirit. “The support from Weston residents was truly heartwarming,” she said.

If you want to contribute, the food pantry welcomes donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, and pet supplies. You can drop these off at the pantry located in the basement of Emmanuel Church on Fridays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM or at Camelot Real Estate in the shopping center during regular business hours. For those who prefer to give financially, you can donate through Venmo at @Weston-Foodpantry or mail a check to the Weston Food Pantry at 26 Riverfield Drive, Weston, CT 06883.

The Kiwanis Club also invites community members to join their breakfast meetings. These gatherings happen every Saturday morning from September to June at Norfield Church Parish Hall, starting around 8:15 AM and lasting until 10:00 AM. Everyone is welcome to participate and learn more about our initiatives.

In a photo by Jim McMorris, you can see some of the dedicated volunteers from the food drive, including Leka Mustafa, Julien Horovitz, Genevieve Small, and others. Their efforts, along with those of many more Key Club and Kiwanis members, made the January 25 event a great success.