A "Super Pantry" for Danbury
Our new super pantry will be bright, welcoming, and spacious. Ten times larger than our current facility, it will offer a great experience for our guests, and also be a great place to volunteer.
A Little History
COVID-19, and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis, changed the food insecurity landscape forever. To serve the massive increase in the numbers seeking our help, we changed our distribution model at the beginning of the pandemic and became a "grab-and-go" pantry. This allowed us to serve all those in need, but it was essentially a crisis response.
The search begins...
Over time, we have improved our service to seniors and disabled individuals, inviting them into our pantry to "shop" for food they get to choose. We have also introduced a limited home delivery service for the homebound. But our relatively short operating hours and small building have meant these models could not be scaled to serve all our guests. When it became clear there would be no return to pre-COVID numbers, we began a search for a new, larger facility.
Success!
After nearly two years, we finally found an almost ideal building - ten times larger than our current facility. It needs some work, but its size and location are excellent starting points for our vision of a new approach to food insecurity in Danbury. When we open, the super pantry will offer:
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A bright, spacious, and welcoming facility incorporating the latest thinking in modern food pantry design
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Greatly expanded opening hours -- guests will be able to shop at times they prefer and that accommodate their work, family, and other commitments
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Handicap Accessibility - even an automatic door!
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All guests will be able to choose their own food -- no pre-packing of food they may not like or need
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Colorful, helpful signage informing guests how much food they may select (based on family size)
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Full implementation of SWAP (Supporting Wellness At Pantries) principles
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Massively expanded refrigeration storage to ensure our fresh, healthy food is kept in excellent condition
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Ample parking and easy access by bus -- just one mile from downtown Danbury
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A dedicated area to offer "wrap-around" social services and information -- for example healthcare and housing advice
Best Practices
Our new facility will incorporate all the latest thinking on modern food pantries: we will encourage good nutrition and avoid the mistakes that the "war on hunger" has made in the past. The super pantry will offer a bright and welcoming experience for all in need, allowing guests to choose their own food in a dignified and inclusive environment.
Thoughtful Design
Because we started with a blank slate, we have been able to incorporate all sorts of great ideas. For example, guests will encounter all our fresh, healthy, produce first, encouraging them to fill their carts with food that will not only feed them today, but keep them and their families well for the years to come.
We have also included a dedicated area to offer "wrap-around" social services and information on topics such as healthcare, education, and housing - all designed to help guests improve their lives and ultimately move away from reliance on food pantries.
Will You Help Us?
This year, Daily Bread is celebrating its 40th anniversary. We have come a long way, but there is much still to be done. To make the super pantry the very best it can be, we need more volunteers, and of course more money. If you have some time, we would love you to join the team. If you can donate to help realize our vision, please do so.
Thank you!
