Attributions of Generous Donations Large and Small from Old and Young:

The stories of giving can tug on your heart as hard as the stories of need.  Here are just a few testimonials from people who gave donations as well as their time to help feed our community's families in need.

Children at the Maple Avenue Nursery School in Clinton recently celebrated their 100th day of school.  They brought in donations and kept track of them on the wall chart.  They learned to count to 100 while doing the project. On the 100th day of school they lined up behind the donations wearing hats they made and gave a little speech about their project and then presented us with the donations.

My 10 year old son & friend decided to donate 10% of all sales from shoveling driveways to the Soup Kitchen.  This money is from Derek Jr. & Josh.  Thank you!

     
Pictured above are Diane Neligon, Residential Mortgage Officer for Webster Bank , Patty Dowling, Executive Director of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, Tom Neligon Residential Mortgage Officer for Webster Bank.  For the 5th year in a row Diane and Tom raised critically needed funds for the soup kitchens.  They host an annual holiday party for their clients and ask that guests donate to the soup kitchens instead of bringing a hostess gift.  Diane and Tom then personally match these funds.  Then these funds are matched through the Gowrie Challenge.  This year almost $19,000 was raised through these combined efforts.  If you are interested in how you can turn your holiday party into a giving party please call 860.388.1988 or visit our website at www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org.


The Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors Community Relations Committee successfully conducted its Annual Community Benefit Raffle and Bazaar and raised $500 to fund SSKP's purchase of low cost food from the Gemma Moran Food Bank to support the pantry program.
For more information about the Eastern Connecticut Associationof Realtors, Inc., click here:  www.easternrealtors.com.

Team Millennium, a synchronized skating team which is part of the renowned Hayden Synchronized Skating Teams, organized a food drive at this year’s Holidays on Ice Show in Cromwell, CT. Team Millennium currently has skaters on two levels that range in age from 8 to 12 years old. The teams compete throughout the Northeast in synchronized skating, a growing discipline of figure skating. The team has skated in shows to benefit local charities and continues the charitable tradition by organizing food drives at their holiday show.

Team Millennium at their Holidays on Ice Show.

Essex Savings Bank Holiday Contest:

My name is Lisa Urso, and I am a teacher at John Winthrop Middle School in Deep River.  As the chair of the committee that runs our annual fundraiser, the Walk-a-Thon, I am writing to share some good news with you.
On October 14th, John Winthrop held its Walk-a-Thon, an event where students raise money to help fund their annual field trips.  For this event, students also have the option of contributing a portion of their funds raised to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
This year, John Winthrop students have raised $1,622 dollars from the Walk-a-Thon for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.  This total is approximately 13% of the total funds we raised overall from the Walk-a-Thon.  I must emphasize that students contributed this money on their own, and were under no obligation to do so.
A driver from the Shoreline Soup Kitchens picked up the boxes that we have assembled for the food drive.  I also presented a check, to the driver, for $1,622, with the money going to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
Lisa Urso
Spanish/French Teacher
John Winthrop Middle School
Deep River, CT  06417

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP) Westbrook Pantry, located at Saint Mark's Catholic Church, received 577 non perishable items collected by Aaron Manor in Chester.  The staff and residents and their family members
all collected items to help feed their neighbors in these very difficult times.  Patty Dowling, Executive Director of SSKP said that this time of year it is especially helpful to have the support from the community. "SSKP is able to feed those in need because of everyone in the community doing their part, as much as they can, to support those who are in need.  These days more and more of our neighbors are coming to our meal sites and pantries, some for the first time. I am so grateful for every donation that helps us meet their needs.  I especially thank those from Aaron Manor for
making our mission a priority".
Pictured are Mrs. Schmidt and Lisa Redvers, two Aaron Manor Family members who helped with the drive.                        

                           
Thank you Shunyata Healing Center for collecting food for the Westbrook food pantry!  Barbara Gaudio is shown with some of the items brought in by her clients.  Shunyata Healing Center provides massage, reflexology, reiki, spa, hypnosis, etc.  Visit https://healatshunyata.com.

"Enclosed please find our check for $92.00 for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries.  This check represents our ongoing penny collection in our 4th grade at St. John School in Old Saybrook.  We are happy to help the Kitchens and thank you all for the work you do for others.  God Bless You, The 4th Grade, St. John School, Old Saybrook, CT"

"In honor of the eighth grade graduation of our granddaughter, we enclose a donation and will tell her at the graduation party that this is one of her gifts.  Thank you for all the excellent work done by SSK&P.  It's a blessing for the entire shoreline and all its residents."

The Old Lyme pantry would like to thank Centerbrook Curves for running a food drive for the pantry.  The organization asked the members of Curves to donate both nonperishable food and money.  For a few months, as members came to do their exercises, they gladly brought in their donations.  Curves has been running food drives for the pantry for a number of years.
It is a real surprise and pleasure to receive food drives like this, where a business, an organization or a school class, runs a drive not solicited by us but spontaneously, out of the goodness of their hearts.  The staff and volunteers of SSKP would like to thank them all on behalf of the people in need who use our services.  These donations help us provide good quality food o our guests. Centerbrook Curves is a wonderful example of community spirit and generosity.

Two little girls, Heidi Clark and Emily Peterson, had sold lemonade at a stand and then took all the money they earned and bought food for the soup kitchen at the Essex Baptist Church meal site. They brought in at least three bags of things including some fresh squash.
Another very lovely woman showed up with a cooler filled with individual frozen bags of squash all from her garden.
Nice to know people are really concerned for their neighbors.