A new food pantry in Hartford is fighting the growing problem of food insecurity: El Centro Food Pantry aims to help the Hispanic community and anyone in need.
It unofficially opened on Thursday.
“They have a Trader Joe's here! You can't go wrong here,” said Janiceza Colon of Hartford as she browsed and added items to her shopping cart.
Colon was trying to get something for himself and his children.
“Kids love Doritos, especially my kids!” she said.
The Hartford mother is one of the first clients to take advantage of the new El Centro Food Pantry.
“I only found out about it today,” she said.
Colon signs up for text alerts for appointments at food pantries across the Capital Region, but the new space is in her neighborhood and walk-ins are welcome.
“This will make it easier for others to come in and pick up what they need,” Colon said.
Though the pantry hasn't officially opened yet, there's already demand: After Thursday's grand opening, seven people stopped by after learning about the new pantry.
“I join Food Share to be more efficient with my resources, and this is probably the best place I've ever been,” said Hartford resident Charnell Swinton. “Everyone here is so friendly, and they have a lot of organic produce.”
The food bank was set up by El Centro Family Center, part of Catholic Charities, with funding from Catholic Charities, as well as Connecticut FoodShare, Midwest Food Bank and Hartford Hospital.
Many food pantry volunteers speak Spanish with clients, addressing a language barrier that is one of the reasons many Latinos in Connecticut lack access to food.
According to Connecticut FoodShare, 27 percent of the state's Hispanic population is food insecure.
The new space aims to meet the needs of more than 300 people each month, many of whom are from the Hispanic community.
“We're able to help a lot of families in the community and make sure they have something to put on the table for their families,” said Nilda Morales, director of El Centro Family Center. “This paves the way for not just Latinos, but everyone. This paves the way for everyone in the community.”
According to Connecticut FoodShare, food insecurity affects 480,000 people statewide.
New data released last week shows the problem is growing: Connecticut FoodShare reports that one in eight adults in the state now faces food insecurity, up from one in 10.
When it comes to children in Connecticut, one in six are food insecure, up from one in nine.
Connecticut FoodShare says population growth and inflation are partly to blame.
“The cost of food is such that when you go to the grocery store these days, you're spending a lot of money and not getting very much back,” said Luis Rodriguez Porter, FoodShare Network Relations Director in Hartford, Connecticut.
To address the issue, Hartford has 70 food pantries and food partnership programs, and there are about 600 across Connecticut, Rodriguez-Porter said.
For the two mothers, tapping into local resources is the answer to providing for their families.
“I feel like no matter what happens, this city has my back,” Swinton said.
They also see it as an answer to fuel their ambitions.
“It's been a little tough because I was recently laid off,” Colon said, “I'm on a fixed income, I have a budget, and at least I know there are resources here in Hartford, downtown Hartford.”
El Centro Food Pantry is located at 45 Wadsworth St. in Hartford.
Starting June 4, the pantry will be open at select hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to noon and 1pm to 2:30pm, and Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm.
Registration is not required and the El Centro Food Pantry is open for walk-in visitors.
