• Deena Youngs on Filling the Void: For Connecticut’s Children, and Herself

    Deena Youngs on Filling the Void: For Connecticut’s Children, and Herself

    How do you go from a career in fashion to making a living out of volunteering in schools? That’s only part of the story of Deena Youngs’ unique journey with Filling in the Blanks. A mother of three, Deena came all the way from Southern California to be a style trendsetter in The Big Apple – only to leave it all behind to be home with her children. Since settling down in Fairfield County, Deena has played an important role in the success of Filling in the Blanks.

    We caught up with our director of operations to learn more about her.

    How did you come across Filling in the Blanks?

    I’ve been a close friend of Tina Kramer and Shawnee Knight for years through my various volunteer positions with the organization. My primary volunteer role has been running the auction at our largest fundraiser, the golf outing.

    In February of 2020, Tina and Shawnee approached me about coming on to help with FITB’s operations. I joke with them now that they must have had a crystal ball with their timing! Little did we know what was about to happen in March 2020 and the incredible need that FITB would fill for so many families during the pandemic.

    Speaking of the pandemic, how has it impacted the way FITB serves families and schools?

    Currently we serve 80 schools across 10 towns in CT and NY and feed over 3,000 children weekly. Forty-six of these schools were added since March 2020 which demonstrates the tremendous need in our community.

    Logistics can be challenging dealing with so many different schools, each having their own individual rules and protocols. I work with the school staff (primarily principals and social workers) to establish the program details and delivery instructions for our drivers.

    During the height of Covid, it was definitely challenging to manage and schedule the deliveries of so many schools because their needs would change weekly due to students being remote, in quarantine, or the school being closed. We remained flexible and committed to accommodate every possible request so that the children in our program would receive their bags each week regardless of the logistical challenges.

    How were you able to take an innovative approach to making the deliveries?

    Prior to Covid, our delivery drivers were able to bring the bags in our sealed bins into school buildings. This changed during the pandemic and we had to adapt our procedures based on the school’s input and individual needs.

    We purchased rolling carts for many of the schools so that their staff could roll them outside when the delivery was being made. The drivers would then load the bags into the carts since they could not be in the building. Thankfully, our weekend meal bags are all heat sealed, stored in secure bins, and packed by volunteers wearing masks and gloves. The safety of the bag and its contents were never called into question during the uncertainty of the early days of Covid. They were always welcomed and appreciated.

    What is FITB’s plan for the upcoming school year?

    We had hoped to return to our pre-Covid delivery procedures for this fall, but with the surge of the Delta variant and increased cases we anticipate our delivery procedures will be similar to last year. We have wanted to send volunteers into the schools to help distribute bags with the school staff to ease their workload — especially in the larger schools — but the schools are not yet allowing volunteers into the building due to continued safety precautions.

    Looking forward, even if safety protocols are more strict due to the Delta variant, the children in our program won’t have to worry about receiving their weekly bags. We have wonderful partners in the schools we serve, and we are all committed to the importance of providing weekly support for students. We will make it work no matter the challenges, and we will deliver bags to every student signed up in our program each and every week.

    How much have you enjoyed being a part of FITB?

    Filling in the Blanks is a very special place to work. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that every single day the job that we do makes a difference in the lives of children in our area. We are determined to uphold our commitment to them as well as reaching more children in need in Fairfield and Westchester Counties, regardless of what the pandemic brings this year.

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  • 2021 at Filling in the Blanks – What We’ve Been Up To So Far

    2021 at Filling in the Blanks – What We’ve Been Up To So Far

    We are officially halfway through 2021! Although we wish it wasn’t, 2020 was our biggest year yet due to the economic impact of coronavirus. This year, a COVID-19 vaccine became available and thus the U.S. began transitioning from the fight against coronavirus to recovering from it. While COVID cases in the U.S. have dropped significantly, financial losses caused by the pandemic continue to hinder many families’ transition to normalcy. A recent report by Herbalife Nutrition and Feeding America found that, of those Americans who have experienced food insecurity at some point in their lifetime, 73% of them experienced it for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

    In order to help our local communities recover, we’ve ramped up our operations in 2021, because we know that recovering from hunger must be a part of pandemic recovery. Here is a recap of some of what’s been happening at Filling in the Blanks and the issues we’ve been focusing on so far this year.

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    Earlier this year, Feeding America reported that 13 million children in America may experience food insecurity in 2021, and many of those cases are a direct result of financial losses caused by the pandemic. Additionally, the pandemic has resulted in a 60% increase in the number of families seeking help from food banks.

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    Since 2020, we have doubled the number of school districts we serve in order to meet the increased demand for our services. In February, we announced that our meal bag delivery was up 151% compared to February 2018 — a direct reflection of the increased need for our services and our determination to meet it.

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    In April, we held our Unite to Fight Virtual 5k, proceeds from which were able to provide 16,600 meals for children in need!

    We also wrapped up our #FundRestaurantsFeedFamilies community giving event, which encouraged donors to purchase gift cards from their favorite local restaurants, which were then included in our meal bags and given to families in need.

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    Our 8th annual Golf Outing charity event took place in May. We were so excited to be face-to-face with our Filling in the Blanks community working together to raise money to continue the fight against childhood hunger after a long year apart!

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    June marked the beginning of summer, and we have been working hard to make sure children in need stay fed while school is out for summer vacation. While many children can receive nutritional assistance during the summer months, accessing those meals has proven to be difficult when school is not in session. To help with this accessibility issue, we have switched up our operations for the summer and began delivering meals to summer camps, community organizations and homes in addition to schools.

    2021 has been a busy year so far and our support continues to be crucial to families as they transition out of the pandemic. To help us continue our fight against child hunger:

    DONATE TODAY

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  • The Summer Pivot at Filling in the Blanks

    The Summer Pivot at Filling in the Blanks

    Summer is here! While many are enjoying a well-deserved vacation, we’ve been working hard to adapt to the unique challenges of distributing meals during summer break.

    Although federal nutrition assistance programs have been extended through the summer, the majority of USDA childhood hunger programs rely on educational settings as their primary food delivery channels. When schools are out for summer, many families have trouble accessing these meals due to a lack of transportation to school food delivery sites. In fact, No Kid Hungry reported that summer national meal programs reach just 16% of children in need when school is out of session.

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    To ensure that kids get the vital nutrition they need over the school break, we adapt our meal distribution channels to meet children where they are during the summer. In addition to schools, we deliver meal bags to summer camps, community organizations, and even directly to children’s homes!

    It’s important that children still have access to enroll in our Weekend Meal Program during the summer months. Our Filling in the Blanks volunteers visit our summer delivery sites to make enrollment easy for kids and parents so they can receive support right away.

    Thank you to all of our volunteers and staff who are working hard to tackle the challenges of school breaks. When kids don’t have to worry about their next meal, they can focus on having a fun, playful summer!

    If you would like to get involved and help fight childhood hunger this summer, we are looking for volunteers to hand out meal bags and help with student enrollment every Wednesday from 10:30 am to 1 pm in Stamford, CT now through the end of the summer. Click here to see school locations, check availability, and register.

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  • Meet the Fathers of Filling in the Blanks

    Meet the Fathers of Filling in the Blanks

    Over the last year, as the world fought through and began recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, many families suffered from financial hardships leaving them food insecure and in need of support. Since last year, Filling in the Blanks has doubled the amount of school districts we serve to fight the resulting hunger pandemic. Today, we are spotlighting a few of the amazing fathers of Filling in the Blanks and how our work has impacted their lives.

    Michael Johnson of Old Greenwich, CT has been a board member at Filling in the Blanks for the past four years and is a father of three young adult children, ages 20-26. After learning about Filling in the Blanks and its mission from founders Tina Kramer and Shawnee Knight, Michael decided he had to become involved:

    “It was like when Harry met Sally saying ‘you had me at hello,’” he explained. “The mission speaks to almost any human being. For me, personally, and for my family as a whole, we are blessed in that we have the ability to put food on the table every day and live by the motto ‘if you can you should’. Believing in this, we as a family have been involved in packing events, golf events, fundraising events and almost anything that is needed for fighting food insecurity. It is a blessing for me to see my kids want to be involved in helping others. You know as a father, a parent, you have done well when your kids want to help others.”

    When asked what fighting child hunger means to him as a father, Michael replied that “as a father, I feel for the parents who have young kids that we serve who can’t provide for their families the simple necessities of food. That drives me to give more.”

    Unfortunately, many existing inequalities have only been exacerbated by the pandemic, and recovery is not happening at the same pace for all. According to recent data from TracktheRecovery.org, nationally, low income workers are still experiencing about 20x higher unemployment than high and mid income workers. This has left many families still unable to afford food, and food insecurity has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels just yet. Our Weekend Meal Program helps fill in these blanks of food access, which drives Michael’s motivation to serve on the FITB board:

    “There are so many organizations one can give to where you really don’t see the impact the money has that you have given. Here at FITB, you see an immediate impact on the kids and families we serve. As a father and a human being who cares, this drives me to do a little bit more. The pandemic has put the vast majority of the at-risk members of our communities out of work. The food packages we pack each week and deliver are life-saving — they may in fact be the only meal they get. To me, that is moving. I believe in the mission. I believe in the people executing the mission. I believe that the people we serve are truly appreciative of the work the team does and welcome our weekly meal packages.”

    One father from Bedford Hills Elementary School in Bedford Hills, NY shared his appreciation for Filling in the Blanks’ support of his family as they recover from financial hardships caused by the pandemic.

    “During the pandemic, I had very little work and we used all our money to pay the rent,” he explained. “Sometimes, we would have to borrow money. There were many times when we only had the Filling in the Blanks food for our children to eat, especially since the supermarket is not near our home. Our children are so happy when they bring home the bag. They immediately put the food away and the milk in the refrigerator. They love to share the food with their little brother. They love the pasta, snacks, and enjoy the cereal with milk in the mornings. We are very grateful to Filling in the Blanks.”

    Another father from Mt. Kisco Elementary School in Mt Kisco, NY echoed his sentiments:

    “The Filling in the Blanks program has been very favorable to my family. My son loves the pasta and especially the fruit cocktail. He loves getting the bag of groceries every week. The program has been a great help because I am a single father and during the pandemic I lost my job. Thanks to Filling in the Blanks for helping my family!”

    We appreciate all of the fathers in our Filling in the Blanks family, from the fathers to support to the fathers who support us in the fight against child hunger. If you would like to make a donation on behalf of a father in your life, visit our donation page here. Thank you!

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  • Why Childhood Nutrition Matters

    Why Childhood Nutrition Matters

    Food is a basic need for growth and development, especially in young children, and providing them with essential nutrition improves not only their physical health but also their mental health. UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children Report 2019 declared that “Investing in child nutrition is key to human capital formation because nutrition is central to children’s growth, cognitive development, school performance, and future productivity.” Hunger hinders a child’s ability to participate fully in school and other activities. Research has shown that food-insecure children are at an increased risk of falling behind their food-secure peers, both academically and socially, and may be more likely to exhibit behavioral problems, including aggression and anxiety.

    The Center of the Developing Child at Harvard studied the effect of childhood stress on a child’s development. Stress comes from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) during the first 18 years of life. The more ACEs a child experiences, the more likely they are to suffer from health issues (physical and mental), substance abuse, and poor academic achievement. Of the ten types of childhood trauma measured in the study, one is physical neglect and is described as not having enough food to eat. By removing this trauma/stress, the course of each child’s life in the weekend meal program is being changed.

    Filling in the Blanks strives to strengthen and empower healthy communities by increasing access to healthy food, specifically for low-income children and their families, through its Weekend Meal Program.

    Since 2013, Filling in the Blanks has been fighting childhood hunger for low-income families by providing meals directly to the children each weekend to bridge the gap when they do not receive nutrition from their schools, after-school programs, or summer camps. For the children that we serve, the weekend brings an interruption to the meals they receive during the week from their schools, after-school programs, or camps. This disrupts their eating patterns and causes a reduction in the amount and quality of food they have access to. The Weekend Meal Program addresses this by providing continued breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks through the weekend with various menus.

    Filling in the Blanks has worked with hospital and school nutritionists to create meal bags that will nourish each child’s body and mind enrolled in the program. The expected outcome is to remove one worry from their lives, put them on more equal ground with their food-secure peers, and provide consistent nutritional support.

    The program’s long-term goal is to increase academic achievement in school and increase opportunities for success in their lives. Filling in the Blanks also strives to provide a sense of community for the children, introduce them to healthy eating, and teach them about how food grows by exposing them to a variety of age-appropriate nutrition/healthy eating storybooks that inspire curiosity about food and interest in trying new foods.

    A fourth-grader enrolled in the Weekend Meal Program said, “When I was in Kindergarten, we didn’t have much food. My mom heard about the [weekend meal] program and signed up for it. Now every Friday, our cabinet is full.”

    “It [the Weekend Meal Program] helps us never go to sleep hungry” – High school student enrolled in the Weekend Meal Program.

    Right now, many children and their families are experiencing food insecurity for the first time. No parent should ever have to tell their child that there is nothing left to eat. Filling in the Blanks remains committed to being a critical resource for the local community. The first need being met by the Weekend Meal Program is that of nourishment. As a result of meeting that basic need, we will also contribute to the children’s physical well-being, peace of mind, ability to focus on tasks, and the ability to learn. With an improved focus in the classroom, less worry at home, and nourishment to keep development on track, we hope to see children who are limited by nothing as they grow and mature.

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  • Meet Our Founders — The Mothers Fighting Childhood Hunger

    Meet Our Founders — The Mothers Fighting Childhood Hunger

    This year, in honor of Mother’s Day, we are spotlighting our founders, Shawnee Knight and Tina Kramer. Since 2013, the pair has been working hard to ensure children in Connecticut and Westchester County receive access to nutritious meals. Since then, FITB has delivered over one million weekend meals. In addition to their incredible work at Filling in the Blanks, they each have another full-time role — being mothers!

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    What is one of the best things about motherhood?

    Tina: I love hanging out with my kids, even if it’s just sitting on their bedroom floor catching up on the day.They are each so different, with unique senses of humor, creativity and compassion, there are no other people I’d like to spend my time with!

    Shawnee: For me the best thing about motherhood has been watching my 2 boys grow into young men. It is amazing to see them evolve at each stage in their life.

    What is one of the biggest challenges?

    Tina: One of the biggest challenges of being a parent is knowing the right answers, kids don’t come with a handbook!! There are so many struggles that my children are facing with social media, the pandemic, and life in general and it’s an entirely new territory than I experienced as a child. I don’t always understand what they are going through but try and give them the tools to work through situations.

    Shawnee: The biggest challenge I found was the lack of sleep and constant worrying that comes with parenting.

    Speaking of lack of sleep, with all of the demands that come with parenting and running a nonprofit, we wondered how the two have managed to balance both.

    Tina: It’s a juggling act most days and I have had to learn to create limits for myself and be present in the moment whether it be at home or at the office. Some days that’s easier said than done, especially during COVID as there has been no off button.Taking some time for myself, even if it’s just an early morning workout, gives me a moment to breathe and feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

    Shawnee: I am fortunate that my kids are older now, so I have the extra time, but it is a full-time job and when my kids were younger it was hard. I would have to make sure that I was there to pick them up at school and be there to drive them to after school activities. When we had weekend packing events, they would come with me, and sometimes would help if things had to get done after school. But this gave me an opportunity to teach them about giving back in their community. When we started FITB we wanted to have it be something children could participate in.

    With the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in the US over a year ago, a record number of children went hungry this past year due to increased economic hardship for families across the country and a lack of access to in-school nutrition programs. The crisis has elevated the urgency of the work Filling in the Blanks does. Both Shawnee and Tina have noticed the ways by which mothers in particular have been impacted by these unprecedented times.

    Shawnee: We have seen more mothers reaching out. We would get emails seeking food assistance and they were primarily mothers. We even expanded the Senior Umbrella when the pandemic started. The majority of the children in our program live in single parent households or live with one grandparent. The children we serve in that program are living with their grandparents, many of whom are finding themselves struggling to make ends meet.

    As Shawnee mentioned, of the 3,000+ kids served weekly by Filling in the Blanks, the majority of them live in single parent households or live with one grandparents. The majority of those single parents and grandparents are single mothers and grandmothers, who have experienced unique challenges during the pandemic. Tina spoke about how and why this group inspires her to continue doing the work she does for children in CT.

    Tina: I grew up with a single mom and moved in with my grandmother as a teenager. I saw the struggles firsthand of a single parent juggling work and home life. It wasn’t always easy, and we struggled at times which is one of the driving forces behind wanting to help my neighbors now that I have the ability to do it.

    Happy Mothers Day to all of the mothers we serve as well as the mothers who work with us in the fight against child hunger. Without you, none of this would be possible. If you would like to make a donation on behalf of a mom in your life, visit our donation page here. Thank you!

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  • Teachers’ Vital Role in Fighting Child Hunger

    Teachers’ Vital Role in Fighting Child Hunger

    It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and to celebrate we are spotlighting teachers who have helped make our Weekend Meal Program possible!

    Lauren Stadler is a fourth grade teacher who has been with Roxbury Elementary School in Stamford, CT for 10 years. For the past seven years, her students have been receiving support from Filling in the Blanks. We asked Lauren about her experience as a teacher involved with the Weekend Meal Program.

    What made you want to become a teacher?

    Like many educators, I had a very special teacher who had a meaningful impact on my life. Mrs. Bambrick, my fourth grade teacher, always took the time to make me feel comfortable and included in her classroom. She created lessons and projects that were engaging, fun and cooperative. All of these things shaped my love of learning and made me want to become a teacher.

    How did you become involved with the Weekend Meal Program?

    The Filling in the Blanks co-founders visited our school in 2014 and learned that many of our students were coming to school hungry after the weekend and didn’t have consistent access to healthy meals. Mrs. Arnold and Filling In The Blanks began providing students with weekend bags that same year.

    How has the Weekend Meal Program impacted you and/or your students?

    Since 2014, many of my students and their families have benefited from the healthy meals included in the Weekend Bags. Alleviating the worry of food insecurity over the weekend and summer has really allowed for the students to come to school more alert and prepared to learn. In addition to the students being more productive in school, many parents over the years have expressed their appreciation to have healthy meal options to prepare over the weekend. The students are also BEYOND thrilled when they receive the very generous winter holiday gift bag!

    Is there anything you’ve learned from working with this program that you didn’t know/weren’t aware of prior?

    Although I always knew which of my students were offered free or reduced lunch, I was not aware that some of these same families do not qualify for federal assistance to help with weekend food shopping. Having Filling In The Blanks provide weekend meals has helped these families immensely and we are all very appreciative!

    Sue-Ellen Barrett O’Shea is the principal at Marvin Elementary School in Norwalk, CT. We asked Principal Barrett O’Shea about how FitB has impacted the students in her school.

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    What was the nutrition assistance like in your school prior to the receiving assistance from Filling in the Blanks?

    We were fortunate to have the Backpack Club prior to Filling in the Blanks to provide food to students. However, we were unable to add additional students to the program once it started, so the staff donated food items to ensure that as many families who requested help were provided with assistance.

    How have the children who are supported by FitB been impacted?

    FitB provides children/families with assistance obtaining food during weekends when breakfast and lunch are not being available. This provides the school with peace of mind that all of our children are well fed during the two days they are not with us.

    Do families sometimes not know that there is a program to feed their children over the weekends?

    We have informed all parents who are considered as receiving free and reduced lunch (even though all students this year receive free lunch) and have given them the option of joining the program. Our numbers have increased immensely!

    Why is FitB a necessary and powerful part of the community?

    Luckily, we were a part of FitB during the pandemic. Once things settled down, with a little push from Deena, we had the food delivered to the school and then delivered the food to the homes of the students. Many families expressed their thanks for the food during such a difficult time. Now, while things are better, the food continues to provide much needed assistance to our families.

    In addition, to the food, FitB has also provided students with backpacks, school supplies, books, and gift cards which families have found to be helpful and much appreciated.

    Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all of the amazing teachers who go above and beyond to teach and care of our students. This week, we celebrate you — thank you!

    dmatamales

  • Unite to Fight 5K to Fight Against Childhood Hunger

    Unite to Fight 5K to Fight Against Childhood Hunger

    Filling in the Blanks will kick off the fourth annual Unite to Fight 5K. The race will be a virtual event again this year allowing runners and walkers to participate anytime, anywhere between April 25 through April 30th. The race seeks to build community and raise funds for Filling in the Blanks to fight childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends.

    Since the pandemic’s start last March, food insecurity rates have skyrocketed and 1 in 4 children is now food insecure. Specifically in Connecticut, 53,000 more children became food insecure in 2020. Most will get breakfast and lunch from school every weekday, but many will go from Friday lunch until Monday at breakfast without a decent meal. Filling in the Blanks is an organization that fills in those weekend gaps by providing each child in its program with a backpack filled with healthy food for the weekend. When the obstacle of food insecurity is removed, children experience increased academic achievement in school and increase opportunities for success in their lives.

    Founded in 2013 by two Fairfield County residents, Tina Kramer and Shawnee Knight, Filling in the Blanks is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has grown from serving 50 kids to serving more than 3,000 kids in Fairfield and Westchester counties. Filling in the Blanks partners with 65 local schools delivering their Weekend Meal Bags to food insecure children in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, and Westport in Connecticut and Bedford Hills and Mt. Kisco in New York.

    As a small nonprofit, Filling in the Blanks has been able to pivot to meet the growing food demand quickly. The Unite to Fight 5K run/walk event will raise valuable funds to help Filling in the Blanks restock their inventory, allowing them to continue to be a resource families can count on-feeding local children in need. To learn more about Filling in the Blanks and how they are fighting childhood hunger in your community, visit fillingintheblanks.org .

    This year’s race has been generously sponsored by the following local businesses who are committed to helping in their communities:

    • The Sigg Team, a local luxury properties specialist team in New Canaan

    • Karp Associates Inc., a leading home building and renovation firm in Fairfield County

    • Gardiner & Larson Homes, a custom design-build firm in New Canaan

    • New Canaan Pediatric Dentistry, providing pediatric dental services to the New Canaan, Stamford, Wilton, Norwalk and Westport areas

    • The Brothers Painting Services, providing expert painting and home improvement services in Fairfield County

    • Fleet Feet, Westport, a leading, locally owned and operated source for all things running

    We hope you can join us at Unite to Fight – not only to run this 5k but to support Filling in the Blanks in the fight against childhood hunger. To register or donate please visit www.fillingintheblanks.org/events

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  • Finding Community While Volunteering During the Pandemic

    Finding Community While Volunteering During the Pandemic

    Since the pandemic began, demand for our Weekend Meal Program has sharply increased with rising unemployment and food insecurity. While normalcy may seem right around the corner, so many families are still struggling, and food insecurity rates have not recovered yet. With the help of our volunteers, we have been able to keep up with demand. FITB delivered over 500K meals and over 1M pounds of food to local children since March 2020.

    Deciding to volunteer during the pandemic can be a little scary. We’ve had to make adjustments at our warehouse to follow social distancing and CDC guidelines to keep everyone safe, and we’re so grateful that our volunteers have been flexible and accommodating to these changes.

    Nerves aside, volunteering can be a great way to connect with people – something we’ve all been sorely missing since the pandemic began. That feeling of group camaraderie has been hard to find over the past year, and volunteering can be a great place to find that community you’ve been looking for.

    As a continuation of our series for volunteer recognition week, we asked a few of our volunteers to share their experiences volunteering to support our Weekend Meal Program during the pandemic.

    Aimee Mueller, Parent Volunteer: “I have stood shoulder to shoulder with all different groups of individuals with the same goal, helping others. During a packing event, the room is filled with positive energy and everyone is genuinely happy to be together focused on helping families in our community. In the early days of the pandemic, when there were no packing events due to public safety concerns, the first thing that came to mind was the number of families that needed help now more than ever. Thankfully, over this past year, FITB offered a safe environment to gather and connect to continue volunteer efforts to help those in the community that are experiencing food insecurity.”

    Rob Knechtle, Grace Community Church Youth Pastor: “[I have met] so many interesting people with FITB. My good friend PJ Johns got me involved with FITB, and it’s been great getting to meet Hunter (a FITB delivery driver) at the loading dock and seeing him drive the big truck for food deliveries. [Volunteering during the pandemic has] been a new experience, lots of gloves and masks but it’s been good to meet a few of the people at the schools who are stepping up and helping their communities and those dealing with hunger challenges. It’s quite an experience packing meals with people at the warehouse, seeing people come together in a challenging time to help others.”

    Nicole Ahrens, Parent Volunteer: “I think it’s easy to lose sight of how fortunate so many families are in Fairfield County but that is not the case for everyone. I was never put in a position to make choices that would impact how much I was able to feed my children on any particular day. Let that sink in for a moment…the answer becomes obvious. Volunteering at FITB has put me much closer to that dilemma and provided an opportunity to lessening that burden for so many families.”

    Maria Fata, Parent Volunteer: “During the first few months of lockdown, my sister, Sandra and I helped deliver meal bags to a few schools. It made us feel so good knowing we were helping children during such a difficult time in the world. It felt wonderful being able to help during a time when so much was out of our control. The pandemic put so much stress on families, and knowing that helping FITB would allow families to feed their children, well, that was just a blessing. Volunteering gave some positive light during a negative time.”

    If you’d like to get involved, visit our volunteer page to learn more – there’s a way to help that works for everyone!

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  • ​New Canaan Country School Holds Kyle A. Markes Day of Service

    ​New Canaan Country School Holds Kyle A. Markes Day of Service

    New Canaan Country School families came together, in-person and online, to serve the wide-ranging needs of 14 local non-profit organizations on Saturday, April 17. They were participating in the seventh annual Kyle A. Markes Day of Service in honor of an NCCS classmate who passed away in 2013. Kyle was passionate about community service and basketball, and the annual event incorporates both.

    Volunteers restocked the food pantry at New Covenant Center(Stamford) and Person-to-Person (Norwalk); performed spring clean up and planted flowers for Waveny Care Center (New Canaan), the New Canaan Inn (New Canaan), Open Door Shelter (Norwalk) and Inspirica(Stamford) and fulfilled the wishlists of non-profit organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford (Stamford), Building One Community (Stamford), Filling In the Blanks (Norwalk), the Horizon Family Fund Emergency Fund (New Canaan), Family & Children’s Agency (Norwalk) and Camp AmeriKids (Stamford). Volunteers also made fleece blankets for the babies in the NICU and cards for the mothers comforted by The Tiny Miracles Foundation (New Canaan) and provided toys for pediatric patients of Yale’s Smilow Cancer Center (New Haven).

    In a twist on the 3×3 basketball tournament and student fundraiser held annually pre-Covid-19, students this year participated in a “Markes Madness Diaper Dunk!” whereby each homeroom class earned one basketball free throw for every box of macaroni and cheese they donated, as well as five free throws for every package of diapers donated. Students then got to take free throws and try to “win” by sinking the most shots. All food items collected were delivered to Person-to-Person Saturday, April 17.

    “KAM Day of Service makes a very real difference in our larger community and embodies the School’s mission statement and values of Community, Courage, Curiosity and Kindness,” said Grade 8 Teacher and Service Learning Director Will McDonough who, together with event co-chairs Kristin Cahill of Norwalk and Sally Fonner of New Canaan, facilitated the activities. “One of the earliest books our students read is Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius in which the narrator’s Great Aunt Alice challenges her to ‘make the world a more beautiful place’. Our students, from the youngest to oldest, continue to seek out opportunities to heed this call and KAM Day is a beautiful opportunity to see their empathy in action,” said Mr. McDonough.

    New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9 living in Westchester and Fairfield counties. Graduates excel at top day, boarding and public secondary schools and go on to lead lives of impact and purpose. For more information, please visit countryschool.net.

    https://patch.com/connecticut/newcanaan/new-canaan-country-school-holds-kyle-markes-day-service-1?fbclid=IwAR3a_NZ0vaobYqt63hPAbUbTEuHPqbSXZmSpVMXIzT-7skpBrDe_B4z907U

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