Groton — Each year, Groton Human Services staff and volunteers work behind the scenes to get food baskets and toys ready to give to hundreds of Groton families to enjoy over the holidays.
This year, due to the pandemic, the department won’t hold its typical holiday distribution of food baskets and toys but still is finding a way to brighten the holidays for families in need.
Human Services Director Marge Fondulas said the department plans to provide gift cards, based on family size, during the November and December distributions. She said the department is asking donors who previously gave food, turkeys and toys to consider donating gift cards, and the department is seeking cards in increments of $25 to $100 to local grocery stores, department stores or toy stores.
Fondulas said the department is making the changes for safety reasons, because the distributions typically involve many volunteers who put together holiday food baskets in the basement of the Human Services Building and also distribute the baskets and toy bags. The volunteers closely interact in confined spaces that do not allow for the social distancing required during the pandemic.
“The volunteers and staff normally share space throughout the two holiday distribution days as they assist recipients with the food baskets and toy bags and the volunteers and staff also come together for breakfast and lunch on the distribution days,” Fondulas said. “It was determined by the department that it could not sufficiently guarantee the safety and well-being of its volunteers, donors, recipients and staff unless it significantly altered its plans for the holiday distributions this year.”
Social worker Lisa Fredsbo said the distributions typically serve about 450 to 500 Groton families. She said distribution at the Groton Food Locker has increased dramatically during the pandemic, so she expects the need for holiday food will increase, as well.
Given the circumstances of the pandemic, the gift card distribution is a way to still help Groton families in a manner that is as contactless as possible, she said. The gift cards will make it easier for families to put holiday meals on their tables and provide toys for their children.
According to the Human Services Department, applications for the Thanksgiving distribution will be accepted from Oct. 5 through Nov. 16 and gift cards will be distributed 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 17, 18 and 19. People will pick up their gift card in drive-thru fashion at the Human Services Building while remaining in their cars and wearing masks, and must have photo identification.
Sign-ups for the December distribution will take place Oct. 5 through Dec. 11. Human Services will distribute gift cards for food and toys for children age 12 and under from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 15, 16 and 17 at the Human Services Building, following the same rules as the November gift card distribution.
People interested in applying can call Human Services, (860) 441-6760. Application packets will either be mailed or emailed or people may file online through the Human Services/Town of Groton website, groton-ct.gov/depts/humansvcs. Human Services will require documentation regarding household income and proof of residency to be submitted through mail, email or the drop box near the front entrance to the building.
According to Human Services, eligibility requirements mirror the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or SNAP, programs at 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is $47,638 in total household income for a family of four. Local families that are receiving holiday assistance from other area agencies are not eligible.
Groton Human Services' Facebook page is at facebook.com/GrotonHumanServices.
The Link LonkSeptember 30, 2020 at 08:16AM
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Groton Human Services makes changes to holiday distributions this year - theday.com
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