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| Rotary President Tom Wilson and Pat Tarasovic at Spooner House. | Rotary President Tom Wilson and Pat Tarasovic at St. Vincent DePaul |
Two local food banks have over $13,000 in donations to purchase food thanks to the combined efforts of The Liberty Bank Foundation, the Friend A. Russ Foundation, and the Derby-Shelton Rotary. Each year starting in October, The Liberty Bank Foundation partners with 43 Rotary Clubs to raise funds in recognition of the fact that one in six children in Connecticut is deemed “food insecure”. In order to spur more giving during this holiday period, The Liberty Bank Foundation provides a 25 cents for every dollar raised match to each of the local participating Rotary Clubs.
In 2018, the 15th annual Liberty Bank/Rotary Club Thanksgiving Drive raised a record-breaking total ff $426,607 to supply holiday dinners and to fill shelves at local food pantries. Final totals are not in for this year as yet, but the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club presented The Spooner House in Shelton and St. Vincent DePaul in Derby with checks for $6,852.32 to assist their efforts this Thanksgiving. Rotary’s efforts were significantly enhanced by a $10,000 donation from the Friend A. Russ Fund to be split between the two food banks.
Thanks to everyone involved who helped to make this Thanksgiving a bit more special for those in need.