Blog - Operation Hope of Fairfield

Easter Bags Delight Pantry Client Families

Apr 4, 2025

We recently received 30 adorable Easter gift bags through donations made to The Great Charity Gingerbread Project, which funded Easter goodies for 150 children this year. The bags we received will be given to our Pantry client families with children. The bags are chock full of treats, including candy, toys, a chocolate bunny, filled eggs, a chocolate dipped pretzel and more.

Thanks so much to Carole Canzoneri and her many volunteers and donors – in particular for this Easter project, Eileen Hepp, Sandy Panza and Jeanne Pacewicz who prepared the Easter project for Operation Hope and other area non profits. Special thanks to Adele Josovitz for making her special chocolate dipped pretzels that all of the kids love. This project requires many hands but most importantly, it’s done from the heart. We are so grateful to this group for always keeping our littlest neighbors in need in heart and mind. Thank you for making them feel so special all year round!

IMPACTrumbull Closes Its Doors After 13 Years of Service in the Community

Apr 2, 2025

IMPACTrumbull, founded in the fall of 2012, when a small number of Trumbull families came together with the purpose of serving the greater Trumbull community. Effective late fall 2025, IMPACTrumbull will end its status as a non profit organization. Operation Hope is honored to have been a beneficiary of IMPACTrumbull’s helping hands and generous hearts since 2015. From Care Caddies brimming with full-sized toiletries to Blessing Bags to prepped meals ready to feed 4-6 people for our pantry freezers, and countless cookies and sweet treats, we are deeply grateful for the help and love IMPACTrumbull has blessed us with over the years to feed and care for our neighbors in need. We also thank the corporate sponsors and private donors who supported IMPACTrumbull’s efforts.

IMPACTrumbull’s mission was to help – through the donation of their collective time, talent and spirit – one local charity, one local family, and one local need at a time. Over the past 13 years, through word of mouth and the powers of social media, this small group has blossomed into over 100 families that have made a true, lasting, and forever IMPACT on thousands of people throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties. After much serious thought, the Board of IMPACTrumbull has determined that it is time to begin the dissolution of its great organization.

From IMPACTrumbull on its founding: IMPACTrumbull started as a way for Trumbull families to volunteer together, to teach our children the value and importance of volunteering, and to create a culture and community of respect and support for one another. Our “little charity” started with families who volunteered when and how they could – focusing less on monetary donations and more on devoting our time and talents to help others. Today, we’re proud that our “little charity” has made an IMPACT with over 40 nonprofits, completing close to 200 hands-on projects that have served thousands of people throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties. From supporting our community through the COVID pandemic, to Meeting our Neighbors Needs, we’ve shown what a talented group of like minded individuals can accomplish. The website will remain online so IMPACTrumbull’s legacy can be shared and remembered.

Donate to Help Fill our Pantry Shelves in April

Apr 1, 2025

If you’re stocking up on your pantry basics, please take a moment to help our neighbors in need. Our most pressing needs are cash, checks and grocery store gifts cards, which allow us to purchase fresh produce, dairy and meat for our clients.

Regular sized items (not bulk) appreciated. Drop off at our pantry M-F, 9am-4:30pm at 636 Old Post Road; there’s a drop off area to the left of the building. Please ring the bell and someone will greet you. Please do not leave donations unattended and when the office is closed. Monetary donations are always welcome so we can purchase exactly what we need for our clients, donate here. Or, feel free to purchase from our Amazon wish list here and your donation will be shipped directly to the pantry. Thank you!

– CASH, CHECKS, GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS (to buy perishables)

– Cereal & oatmeal

– Crackers & cookies

– Ground coffee

– Pancake mix & syrup

– Pasta sauce

– Salad dressing

– Sugar & oil

– Juice (no glass bottles)

– Napkins

– Ziploc bags

– Toilet paper
– Paper towels

Spring into Solar with Trinity Solar!

Mar 28, 2025

Spring is a great time to learn about solar Please support Operation Hope by signing up for a home evaluation through our partnership with community partner Trinity Solar. If you already have solar or a home that is shaded, we would be grateful if you could help us share this with friends and family. Sign up for your free consult here.

Happy Birthday to Our Fearless Leader, Carla Miklos!

Mar 26, 2025

As we celebrate Women’s History Month and recognize how the world’s history has been shaped by the fearless women who have made significant advances in racial equality, civil rights, women’s suffrage, environmental change and beyond, we want to wish our own fearless leader, Executive Director Carla Miklos, a happy birthday! 🎉

Inspiring, caring and thoughtful, Carla tirelessly advocates for human rights for our neighbors in need ❤️ Our clients, our community and all of us here at Operation Hope are extremely fortunate to have her at the helm and in our corner. Carla, we wish you joy and happiness as you take another turn around the sun ☀️🎂🌻

Help Operation Hope Celebrate 40 Years of Making an Impact

Mar 25, 2025

We look forward to gathering at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield on Thursday, May 8 to acknowledge the efforts of our volunteers, donors and friends who help us end hunger and homelessness, one person at a time. This year, we are delighted to honor Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Fairfield & Southport, as our “Champion of Hope,” and its co-founders, Helene Daly and Alexis Harrison. Through this grassroots organization, Helene and Alexis have made outstanding contributions in our community and work tirelessly to further our mission. Limited tickets available! Please consider a program ad, a Friends listing or a donation in support of the 40 years of Operation Hope’s efforts. Click here to purchase. Thank you!

Thanks to the Greek Community for an Abundance of Bagged Lunches for the Community Kitchen

Mar 18, 2025

Thank you so much to Daughters of Penelope – Bridgeport “Hermes” Chapter 41, District 7, G.O.Y.A. (Greek Orthodox Youth Association) of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Bridgeport and the AHEPA chapter 62 for the donations for bagged lunches and for putting together the bagged lunches for our neighbors in need 🥪 These are wonderful and welcomed meals for our Community Kitchen guests to grab and go. Thank you for your helping hands and big hearts! 💙🙏🏽

IMPACTrumbull Stocks Pantry Freezers and Provides Care Caddies for Neighbors in Need

Mar 6, 2025

Last month, volunteers from IMPACTrumbull gathered to make a variety of freezer meals for our Pantry clients to grab and go. The group made 35 meals of chicken divan, shepherd’s pie and baked ziti in individual 9×13 trays. Freezer meals are so helpful for our clients to pick up, pop in the oven and enjoy at the end of a long day. We are deeply grateful to IMPACTrumbull for their continued support of our neighbors in need, and also from Costco, who provided a grant to purchase the food

The group also donated sets of homemade desserts to distribute in the Pantry. Our clients are sure to appreciate the sweet treats! 🍪

And if that wasn’t enough, the group donated 20 Care Caddies brimming over with full-size toiletries for our clients. SNAP benefits do not cover toiletries and these items can really add up, so our clients are always appreciative of these types of donations.

IMPACTrumbull is an organization of over 100 families in Trumbull who support our local community through hands on monthly projects and collections. IMPACTrumbull volunteers – adults and children – dedicate their time to organizations in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Since 2012, IMPACTrumbull has donated over 19,000 Blessings Bags, over 2,000 Care Caddies and countless other meals, Christmas gifts, camp kits, baby gifts, and school supplies to local shelters and pantries

Can You Help Us Fill Our Pantry Shelves this Month?

Mar 4, 2025

We are looking for some very basic items to help stock our Pantry. Help us feed and care for over 800 local families and individuals! Regular sized items (not bulk) appreciated. Drop off at our pantry M-F, 9am-4:30pm at 636 Old Post Road; there’s a drop off area to the left of the building. Please ring the bell and someone will greet you. Please do not leave donations unattended and when the office is closed. Monetary donations are always welcome so we can purchase exactly what we need for our clients, donate here. Or, if easier, simply purchase from our Amazon wish list here and your donation will be shipped directly to the pantry. Thank you!

– CASH, CHECKS, GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS (to buy perishables)

– Salad dressing & mayonnaise
– Ketchup & mustard

– Pasta sauce

– Tomato products (paste, diced, crushed, etc.)

– Crackers & cookies
– Cereal & oatmeal

– Ground coffee

– Sponges, aluminum foil & Ziplock bags
– Flushable wipes
– Toilet paper

– Paper towels

Fairfield Woods Middle School Holds Essentials Drive for Operation Hope

Feb 28, 2025

Following the Super Bowl and leading up to Presidents Day weekend, the students at Fairfield Woods Middle School held a pantry essentials drive to help stock Operation Hope’s Pantry. Monday was “Souper Bowl,” where students were encouraged to bring in canned stew, chili and soup. Tuesday through Thursday, each grade was assigned a few items, where they collected canned chicken and tuna, hot cocoa, ground coffee, ramen and Cup O’ Noodles. The Student Council worked with their advisor, Media Specialist Jackie Galante, to organize the drive. We are grateful to the school community, Student Council and Ms. Galante for helping fill our pantry shelves, especially during the winter months when our donations tend to be lower, making it harder to feed our neighbors in need. Thank you 🙏

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