Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council is holding their Week of Caring as they build Harvest House VII which will once again provide thousands of meals for Valley people who are in need of food.
This year more than 250 volunteers are expected to help make a difference at Harvest House VII and are inviting YOU to join them.
The build will take place under the Pavilion at Veteran’s Memorial Park on 100 Canal Street, on September 21, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.
Harvest House VII is a biannual house build during which a 400-square-foot house is constructed out of shelves and filled with thousands of nonperishable food items. Food collected is then distributed to food banks serving Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton, and Oxford.
The idea for the house came from the concept of a barn raising, in which a community comes together to build a barn so that one family can thrive. In that same tone, Harvest House utilizes the collective action of the community for the common good. Families in need are then able to thrive rather than go hungry.
According to the Valley Hunger Study:
- Just over 1‑in‑5 households (21%) that receive food from pantries have no income
- Nearly 3 out of every 4 households (74%) receiving food from pantries have incomes falling at or below the federal poverty level.
- 73 percent of households visiting food pantries report making significant spending trade-offs between food and other necessities. You can make a difference in the lives of your neighbors just by donating a few cans of food.
- 57 percent of households who visit pantries receive SNAP benefits
Harvest House is made possible by Volunteers and Corporate, Civic and Community Sponsors. Everyone can Volunteer!
The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. when the bell rings and the build begins.
Early on Friday morning the Food Pantries will pull up with their army of Volunteers to dismantle the house and bring back to put away on their shelves.
Something NEW has been added this year where people can participate in the Virtual build by going to Valley United Way’s website and selecting the food to go on the shelves or by donating to purchase the food!
Go to http://valleyunitedway.org/harvest-house/ and sign up to Volunteer!
Put a team together at your company for a great team building experience. Start collecting food to use to build on the walls. All Volunteers who sign up will receive a tee shirt commemorating the day!
Watch for more exciting news about Harvest House VII! To learn more email Pat Tarasovic at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)!
