United Way/Labor Food Center

About

The Food Center is a program of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut and serves New London County.

The Food Center distributes the equivalent of 2,120,308 meals in partnership with 65 member programs including food pantries, shelters, childcare centers, community meal sites, programs for the elderly and our Mobile Food Pantry. Each month, 26,849 people are served through these programs.

The Food Center is part of our work in the Healthy Community impact area to improve health and well-being for all. Helping people to overcome barriers to good health includes improving access to food and healthy food options. We partner with three local giving gardens that grow and harvest fresh produce which is, in turn, donated to the Food Center for distribution. 

Food arrives from a variety of people and places including retail recovery from local grocery and other stores, Midwest Food Bank, corporate donations, local food drives, food shows, farms, and individuals. Food must also be purchased occasionally to fill in gaps and keep the shelves stocked for members and Mobile Pantry.

The Food Center relies on teams of volunteers both at the warehouse in New London and at Mobile Pantry distribution sites. Last year, 1,457 volunteers donated a total of 10,916 hours of their time as we collectively work towards food security for all.