Maya McFadden Photo
A Newhallville grocery giveaway Thursday afternoon provided 320 New Haveners with food as part of a mission to nourish Newhallville with health, wealth, and leadership.
Each visitor received grocery bags containing enough to make 20 meals. In addition, 300 $10 Save-A-Lot gift cards were given out to visitors to buy meat that couldn’t be provided due to the team’s lack of accessible refrigeration.
Newhallville Management Team Chair Kim Harris gathered partners from First Calvary Baptist Church, Inspired Community Inc., Neighborhood Rx Inc., Believe In Me, and the Newhallville Community Action Network to host the drive and walk-up food distribution outside the First Calvary Baptist Church.
Kim Harris.
When Harris reached out to Rev. Boise Kimber with the idea in June, Kimber provided her with a key to the church to organize the event and store the food.
Harris was born and raised in Newhallville and has been committed to reestablishing and improving the neighborhood to bring back the feeling of growing up in a “village.”
“The goal is for Newhallville residents to feel dedicated to their community, especially youth. We want there to a generational dedication for our youth to come back to New Haven and be a leader,” Harris said.
An additional 137 grocery bags were set aside for the team to distribute to local in-need seniors and neighbors with disabilities.
When the pandemic hit New Haven businesses and organizations, Newhallville was left with only one food pantry, out of Mount Hope Temple.
“There was no food in Newhallville. Food is a basic need, people should have it whether Covid is around or not,” said Harris. “A lack of food can cause crime and violence, this is how we can better New Haven.”
Harris and her team have since helped other food distribution sites to open, like one at New Haven Church of Christ, which plans to distribute meals on July 10 at 4 p.m. at 16 Gem Street. Mount Hope Temple will also distribute food Friday, July 10, at 565 Dixwell Ave. from 5 – 6 p.m.
Politicians joined as volunteers at the site to connect with the community including State Rep. Robyn Porter, State Sen. Gary Winfield, and candidate Jason Bartlett.
A total of 350 grocery bags were put together, filled with eggs, a variety of breads, pasta, onions, carrots, pasta sauce, and potatoes. Many families were given double the amount of to be sure it all was distributed.
Community leader Troy Streeter volunteers.
Originally the event was scheduled for this past Tuesday; the team rescheduled to Thursday due to the weather.
In addition to the food distribution, Harris and her team celebrated 2020 New Haven graduates with three pre-recorded ceremony videos with speeches from New Haven leaders like Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT) President Erik Clemons, Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn, Kimber, Porter, Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, Newhallville/Prospect Hill Alder Steven Winter, Shirley Lawrence of the Newhallville Community Management Team, and Jeanette Sykes, founder of The Perfect Blend organization. (Click here, here, and here to watch all three.)
Amanda Hall came from Amity to pick up groceries after hearing about the giveaway on Facebook.
“I just started working again two weeks ago. We’ve eaten a lot of McDonald’s and pizza lately because I’m taking extra hours to make up for when I couldn’t work,” Hall said. A mother of four, Hall had to make the decision in April to stay home from work to help her kids, ranging from ages 6 to 15, finish the school year remotely. Hall hopes to return soon to a schedule of being able to get to the grocery store and make homemade meals for her kids.
Along with the food, Porter helped distribute masks and hand sanitizer to families. “This is a labor of love. Loving out loud is key,” she said.
Thursday’s volunteer team.
Volunteers included neighbors, organizations, community leaders and activist, and local and state politicians.
Many walkers arrived as early as 2:30 p.m to pick up groceries.
In total 102 walkers picked up groceries. One hundred thirty-two drivers picked up. And 87 deliveries were made around the community.
“This is about more than giving food out. We are working on wealth building and the first thing you need to think is food. We want Newhallville to go from surviving to thriving,” said Harris.
The team has been helping to distribute food since March 20. Harris said her team has distributed 90,000 meals and is working to reach its goal of 100,000 by the end of the summer. Harris’s team has received funding from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Yale University, Harris and Tucker School, Inc., and ConnCAT to distribute these meals amidst the pandemic.
Bianca Bowles gives neighbors Census and voting information.
Bianca Bowles and Addie Kimbrough from the Community Action Agency of New Haven tabled providing information to neighbors about census and voter registration.
Next, the team is organizing a Newhallville Rally Day for July 26 to provide the community with information of job listing, online workshops for starting local businesses, and voter and census registration. The event to build up Newhallville leaders and local businesses will be at Lincoln Bassett School from 3 – 4:30 p.m. Harris’ team has a goal of helping to establish 25 new local businesses in Newhallville within the next three to five years so “nobody goes without.”
“We are working towards a resurgence. A stronger and more vibrant Newhallville,” Harris said.