Meet Your Neighbor, Carla

Trained by Chefs Phil and Frank, she learned kitchen skills and found a sense of community. "It was enjoyable. We all got along like family." Now employed by the City of Waterbury, Carla still volunteers many days each week to serve meals to shelter and kitchen guests, and she also helps out in the food pantry.

“If it wasn’t for Connecticut Foodshare we probably wouldn’t have the food to feed the people that need lunch or dinner or snack…whatever it is that they need. Without them, it would be rough going and we wouldn’t have the supplies for the culinary school. [Laughter] We would need the potatoes, eggs, bread, and milk…the supplies to learn with.”

"I’m just glad that [Connecticut Foodshare] partners with St. Vincent De Paul Mission. If it wasn’t for this place, I probably wouldn’t be where I’m at now. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t come to this program.

“At the holidays, you see [Connecticut] Foodshare, they’ll fill up the truck, donate turkeys and all this, but when you actually see the work that they do and the different places that they go and all that goes along with it...it’s people’s lives. They brought homelessness and food insecurity to the forefront. Even though the pandemic’s over, there’s just as many people who are still food insecure with rising prices and the loss of jobs or lack of wages.”

“I still come here at least three to four times a week and in the weekend, I help out and help serve the food or work in the pantry. I empathize with these people that come here and I’m grateful for what I have. I feel good for just the little bit I can do."