There's a new way to get food to the needy, and Newtown high schoolers are taking the lead.
It's called "Feeding the Need," and students showed off their handiwork tonight in a reception at Newtown High School. Culinary arts students, working under culinary arts teachers Brian Neumeyer and Lori Hoagland, help prepare and serve the food -- options on the menu tonight included Punjabi chicken, mango barbecue shredded pork and vegetarian bean chili.
"That's the challenge for the kids," said Principal Chip Dumais. "Here's a large amount of a particular, individual food -- how do we turn it into something for people?"
The New Haven-based Connecticut Food Bank uses this culinary program to "turn food into a meal" and distributes to agencies, according to the Food Bank's Chief Operating Officer Paul O'Leary, a Newtown resident. It's a new idea, he says -- connect grocery store donors with high school culinary programs and pass the tasty results on to the needy.
"They're learning how to cook," he said, adding the program provides other educational benefits. "There's a huge level of awareness as to who the people are who need -- and there's a nutritional aspect too."
Representatives from Dorothy Day Shelter in Danbury, New Street Shelter inDanbury and Prospect House in Bridgeport joined the reception, according to Susan Stanczyk.
"It was nice to have them meet the students that have been preparing the delicious frozen meals that they have been receiving since January," she said.
Read more about Feeding the Need on Patch from the Connecticut Food Bank!
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