Maya McFadden Photo
Natalie Marshall and Kathryn Piscitello.
Close friends Natalie Marshall and Kathryn Piscitello met up at a Dixwell food drive Tuesday to pick up groceries. Before leaving the pair arranged a dinner night with each other.
Marshall, who lives in the Hill, told Piscitello about the food drive this past weekend. After picking up their groceries the two then caught the city bus home.
“This is how it should be. All of us helping each other,” Marshall said after picking her box of groceries for her grandkids.
Kingdom International Economic Development Corporation (KIEDC) partnered with the New Haven Police Department and dozens of community organizations to host the food drive and demonstrate the theme of “We’re stronger together.”
Groceries, cases of water, PPE and Covid testing were all offered at the New Haven Police Sub-Station at 26 Charles St. on Tuesday afternoon. With the help of community donations of non-perishable goods and sponsor gifts, 1,000 families were fed.
“This is a snapshot of what community can do for each other,” said Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison.
The pickup line for the elderly and those without transportation opened first. After an hour cars waiting in the drive-up line were served. Food was distributed on Charles Street to drivers and walkers. Then water and Covid-19 testing were offered on Towsend Street just beside the station.
KIEDC received a $10,000 check from Joseph Rodriguez, who owns 33 McDonald’s franchises in Connecticut. Rodriguez’s donation will be used for KIEDC to continue hosting weekly food drives out of the substation on Tuesdays from 1 – 2 p.m.
Police Chief Otoniel Reyes lends a hand.
Bags of children’s books and educational material and feminine hygiene products were also handed out to those in need.
The boxes of groceries were loaded with fresh produce, a whole chicken, pancake mix, cornbread, boxed macaroni and cheese, pasta, more. Large cases of water were also distributed.
The line of drivers stretched about two blocks down Dixwell Avenue at 12 p.m.
Craig McPherson handed off his reusable bag full of produce to his 9‑year-old niece as he loaded two cases of water into a shopping cart. “Luckily my boss is letting me come in two hours late today because she knows I needed to get this food,” said McPherson, who lives with nine family members in a two-family Morris Cove home.
“We’re going to have these pancakes when we get home,” exclaimed McPherson’s niece, Anastasia.
Justin Elicker, Metashar Dillon, and Doris Dumas at the food drive.
Volunteers ranged from youth, community leaders, and Dixwell adults.
Marielys Torres picked up groceries Tuesday to pull her weight in her sister’s home, which she recently moved into after being evicted from her home in Newhallville. Torres brought along her two kids, whom she pushed in a double-seat stroller. Torres was a substitute teacher and stopped working when schools closed.
“I’m just taking it day by day. I can’t be picky, I’m just happy we got something,” she said as she got help from a volunteer to bring her groceries and bag of kids books to her parked car on Dixwell.
Attorney General William Tong helps distribute food.