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Early Summer “Refill the Pantry” Drive for Operation Hope a Success

Thanks to the incredible dedication of 40 volunteers from “Refill the Pantry,” a collaboration of local churches, and the Columbia Alumni Club of Fairfield County, their food drive held last Saturday at the Stop & Shop on Kings Hwy for Operation Hope’s Pantry was a remarkable success.

The two groups collaborated to collect an impressive 3,400 pounds of food. They also raised $1,400, providing vital support for families facing food insecurity in our community.

This event marked a milestone in the “Refill the Pantry” mission:

  • Most volunteers ever at a single collection
  • Second largest food donation in their 4 year history
  • Third largest financial contribution out of their 26 total collections

For context, in 2023, it held two collections for Operation Hope totaling 3,540 pounds. “Refill the Pantry” is excited to announce it’ll be returning for a second collection for Operation Hope on September 20, and it is aiming even higher!

The “Refill the Pantry” program is profoundly grateful for the steadfast support of its sponsoring congregations: First Presbyterian (Fairfield), Our Saviour’s Lutheran (Fairfield), Grace Lutheran (Stratford), and Good Shepherd Lutheran (Monroe). Their continued dedication, generosity and faith have been the heart of this mission, empowering the program to care for those facing hunger with love and dignity.

A heartfelt thanks also to the many Fairfield congregations whose contributions made an extraordinary impact. Whether by providing volunteers, organizing in-house food drives or delivering donations directly to Operation Hope, their partnership truly brought the “Refill the Pantry” mission to life. Special appreciation goes to Black Rock Church, City Coast Church, Or Hadash, Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, and Trinity Episcopal Church for their remarkable commitment to this shared calling.

We are deeply grateful for the help filling our pantry shelves from all of these groups. Summer is a tough time for our clients, as our pantry donations wane during the slower months. Yet, we still need to feed our families and individuals. The donations collected last Saturday will help sustain our neighbors in need in the near term. Thank you to all the volunteers, donors and Stop & Shop!

Bud Wilkinson of Ride-CT.com Covers 9th Annual CT Seaport Car Show

Award winning journalist, Bud Wilkinson of Ride-CT.com, spent far more time than he planned at the Connecticut Seaport Car Club‘s 9th Annual Antique and Classic Car Show Sunday at Ludlowe High School. How could he not, with all of the gorgeous cars on display and the entertainment from Jukebox 45 Show Band that performed 50’s & 60’s favorites? Thanks to Bud for sharing his excellent photo gallery which really showcases the beauty of all of the cars on display! Check out the gallery here. Thanks to the CT Seaport Car Club, all of the sponsors – Danbury Dodge Jeep Kia; Joe Pramer and Rick Krollman of Morgan Stanley in Fairfield; Z2 Motorsports; MGM ATM Service & Supply; Fairfield HamletHub and ConnectFairfield – the Town of Fairfield, Fairfield Parks & Rec, the car entrants, entertainment and attendees. We are grateful for all of you as together, we continue to fight to end hunger and homelessness, one person at a time. 

 

Recap of CT Seaport Car Club’s 9th Annual Car Show to Benefit Operation Hope

Sunday was a wonderful day to enjoy the Connecticut Seaport Car Club‘s 9th Annual Antique and Classic Car Show! Fun for the whole family, many friends of all ages came out to enjoy the cars, entertainment and more! It was the largest car show in the club’s 16 year history. And, the final count was 264 cars! 
 
Thank you Fairfield HamletHub for the excellent coverage! Check out the photo gallery here on Facebook. Thanks to the CT Seaport Car Club, all of the sponsors – Danbury Dodge Jeep Kia; Joe Pramer and Rick Krollman of Morgan Stanley in Fairfield; Z2 Motorsports; MGM ATM Service & Supply; Fairfield HamletHub and ConnectFairfield – the Town of Fairfield, Fairfield Parks & Rec, the car entrants, entertainment and attendees. We are grateful for all of you as together, we continue to fight to end hunger and homelessness, one person at a time.

Thanks to Volunteers For Sorting Postal Drive Donations

Last Saturday, dozens of volunteers of all ages gathered in Operation Hope’s parking lot to set up, sort, store and clean up a large part of the 24,775 lbs, or 12.4 tons, of non perishable donations collected from the annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 10! 📫 
 
The weather held and despite the strong winds, our volunteers worked hard non-stop and always with a smile. We were able to sort one full pod and most of a second. We even heard exclamations of “this is the most fun I’ve had in ages” from volunteers. Thank you for making our job of organizing these donations in the pantry so much easier! 😊🙏🏽
 
Those bright yellow, hard-to-miss bags this year played a huge part in the drive’s success. Thanks again to the yellow bag sponsors – Bagel King, D.P. Dough Fairfield, Fairfield Motoworks, Malibu Taco, Pizza Mediterranean, Sophie’s Pizza Bar, The Sinclair and Trumbull BMX – 💛💛💛 And a huge thank you to Fairfield letter carrier Mike Capodicci and all of the Fairfield & Southport letter carriers, to the Town of Fairfield and to all of YOU who generously left donations by your mailbox.
 
Mark your calendar for the next annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 9, 2026! 📅

Seeking Donations to Fill our Pantry Shelves

While we are so fortunate to be the recipient of the recent postal food drive and a few upcoming drives, we are still lacking in quite a few staples for our clients. We’re really in need of full size toiletries, see list below. Please take a moment to consider helping our neighbors in need.
 
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)
– Chef Boyardee
– Ramen 
– Cereal & oatmeal
– Shampoo
– Conditioner
– Body wash
– Lotion
– Toothpaste
– Floss
– Razors
– Shaving cream
– Deodorant
– Cleaning products
– Toilet paper
– Paper towels

 

One Hot Chocolate for You, One Hot Chocolate for Operation Hope

Ok, it may be the last day of May but it feels like March….which means it is perfect weather to cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate! 🤎 Meet Peter, aka @thehotchocolatekid! Peter is raising money for Operation Hope, one sweet sip at a time! Each week, he’ll try out a new local café in search of Fairfield County’s best hot chocolate. For every hot chocolate he tries, he’ll be donating the cost of a cup to Operation Hope—and encouraging his followers to do the same! Donate here: https://bit.ly/thehotchocolatekid.
 
Thank you for supporting Peter’s efforts with a donation of any amount to help our neighbors in need. Be sure to follow Peter on social @thehotchocolatekid!

In Need of Full-Size Paper Grocery Bags for Pantry Clients

As you’re doing your grocery shopping, we would appreciate any paper grocery bags you can spare! We’re in need of full-size brown paper grocery bags to pack groceries and essentials for our Food Pantry clients. Handled and handle-less paper grocery bags, as well as Target reusable bags, are appreciated! Please drop off Monday-Friday, 9am-4:30pm, 636 Old Post Road, Fairfield, and please do not leave donations unattended. Thank you for helping us feed and care for our neighbors in need!

Happy Memorial Day

Today, on Memorial Day, we honor the memory of the men and women who died in active military service, as well as acknowledge the service and sacrifice of active service members. Thank you ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸
 
Our business office, Food Pantry and Community Kitchen are closed today. The office and Community Kitchen will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, May 27 and the Food Pantry will resume regular hours Wednesday, May 28, 10am-12pm. Donations will be accepted once reopened.

Harness the Power of Solar + Do Good!

There’s never been a better 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.

Office, Food Pantry & Community Kitchen Closed for Memorial Day

Our business office, Food Pantry and Community Kitchen will be closed Monday, May 26, in honor of Memorial Day. The business office and Community Kitchen will resume regular hours on Tuesday, May 27 and the Food Pantry will resume regular hours Wednesday, May 28, 10am-12pm. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend! 🇺🇸 ❤️🤍💙 🇺🇸

OFFICE & FOOD PANTRY


636 Old Post Road

Fairfield, CT 06824
203-292-5588
info@operationhopect.org

OFFICE & DONATION HOURS

July 11 - August 29:
Monday - Thursday, 9:00am - 5:00pm
(donations accepted until 4:30pm)
Friday, 9:00am - 1:00pm (donations accepted until 1:00pm)
Please do not leave donations unattended at the door or when the office is closed.

PANTRY HOURS

  • Monday, Wednesday & Friday:
    10:00am - 12:00pm
  • Thursday: 4:00pm - 6:00pm

OUTREACH & COMMUNITY KITCHEN

50 Nichols Street
Fairfield, CT
 06824
203-254-2935

COMMUNITY KITCHEN HOURS

Meals served Monday - Friday:

  • Lunch: 11:30am - 1:00pm
  • Dinner: 5:30pm - 6:30pm