Members of the Rotary Club dropped off a significant donation of $10,000 worth of non-perishable food items at West Hartford Town Hall on May 14.

Rotary Club of West Hartford with some of the $10,000 worth of food and other items dropped off at Town Hall. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

Thousands of dollars worth of non-perishable food items arrived at West Hartford Town Hall the morning of May 14 – in the trunks of cars and backs of SUVs – donations that will make an enormous impact on the lives of town residents who are struggling with food insecurity.

“We filled the Food Pantry,” said Rick Liftig, president of the Rotary Club of West Hartford.

Members of the Rotary Club spent $10,000 at Costco, and the “Food Caravan” was then escorted by West Hartford Police along the journey to Town Hall.

Rotary Club of West Hartford with some of the $10,000 worth of food and other items dropped off at Town Hall. Courtesy photo

According to Liftig, that $10,000 was three full shipping pallets, stacked 5 feet high, and included the following staples: $2,400 worth of beans, $1,000 worth of breakfast cereals, $800 of canned tuna and chicken, $1,700 of canned corn and green beans, $1,000 of spaghetti sauce, and many more items. West Hartford’s Social Services staff selected the items for their long shelf life and balance of nutrition.

“Our town is a diverse town,” Liftig said in an email to We-Ha.com. “Despite its outward upscale appearance, many individuals and families find themselves in need. West Hartford Social Services staff estimated that our contributions constitute a two-month supply of food at this time of year,” he said, noting that in the winter, when the need is much greater asfamilies often struggle to choose between fuel and food, the donation, while still enormous, would be just a three-week supply.

Rotary Club of West Hartford with some of the $10,000 worth of food and other items dropped off at Town Hall. Courtesy photo

This is the fourth year of the Rotary Club of West Hartford’s Food Caravan, which was just one of the community projects taking place locally during “Rotary Day of Service” week, which ended May 18 and includes participation by roughly 30,000 members of 800 Rotary Clubs across 10 states and seven countries.

“West Hartford Rotary is proud and thankful that we have the ability and means to help out our neighbors. This is what we’re all about,” Liftig said, adding a “tip of the hat” to the West Hartford Police for providing escort.

Rotary Club of West Hartford with some of the $10,000 worth of food and other items dropped off at Town Hall. Courtesy photo

“Rotary West Hartford is service club whose mission it is to provide service to the community and the world,” Liftig said, sponsoring activities like the Food Caravan, provides $8,000 worth of scholarships to high school seniors, and also supports worthy organizations in the local community and sponsors international projects. “In the past, we have helped fund the building of water systems in the Philippines and Nicaragua. This year, we have sponsored the renovation and re-equipment of a dental clinic in Nkozi, Uganda,” he said.

The Rotary Club of West Hartford meets most Mondays for lunch at the Pond House Café in Elizabeth Park. More information is available on the website www.westhartfordrotary.org, or by emailing [email protected].

Rotary Club of West Hartford with some of the $10,000 worth of food and other items dropped off at Town Hall. Courtesy photo

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