Foodshare Fridays Deliver Dignity and Hope in New Britain
Every other Friday, something powerful happens in an empty parking lot at Wheeler’s Family Health & Wellness Center at 40 Hart Street in New Britain. A Connecticut Foodshare Mobile Food Pantry truck pulls in, greeted by a waiting, well-oiled machine of Wheeler staff and community volunteers.
This isn’t just a food distribution. It’s a lifeline.
Launched in July 2024, the partnership between Wheeler and Connecticut Foodshare has provided nutritious food to nearly 3,200 people in New Britain, where approximately 16% of residents face food insecurity. Bread, produce, dairy, and frozen staples are distributed with compassion and care, no questions asked. Many people arrive hours early, no matter if it's frigid cold or steaming hot weather—some walking, others arriving by car or bus, and consistently offer deep appreciation for this critical service.
The initiative was born from a single, mission-centered conversation between Wheeler President and CEO Sabrina Trocchi, PhD, MPA, and Connecticut Foodshare President and CEO Jason Jakubowski, MPA, two leaders and organizations with a shared commitment to meeting people where they are.
That spark ignited a deeper collaboration led on the ground by Lisa Roth, Wheeler’s Senior Director of Health Center Operations in New Britain. Working closely with community partners like South Church, Roth has made Foodshare Fridays not just possible, but profoundly impactful.
“When two strong organizations share a mission and meet a community need head-on, magic happens,” said Trocchi. “We owe this success to the sweat equity, heart, and soul of our staff and the selfless spirit of our volunteers. They teach us the true meaning of the word ‘philanthropy,’ the love of mankind.”
“New Britain has a special place in my heart, and making sure that our neighbors here in the city and across the state have the food they need is something that Connecticut Foodshare is committed to providing,” adds Jakubowski. “It’s strong community partnerships like this one with Wheeler that make this work possible.”
Each Foodshare Friday is about more than food—it’s about connection, compassion, and community. Roth coordinates children’s activities through 2-4-1 Sports, while Connecticut’s Read to Grow mobile library offers books to young attendees. The events have become multigenerational touchpoints of support, dignity, and care.
Corporate volunteers from Mott Corporation and M&T Bank help manage the flow by handing out food tickets, organizing lines, directing traffic, and even carrying food to the cars of older adults. Wheeler staff from New Britain and across the organization step in, adding their own energy and presence.
In just 45 minutes, typically more than 140 individuals receive fresh, nourishing food. The truck then promptly rolls out to its next stop, while its impact lingers for days after in kitchens across New Britain.
“When you nourish a community, you’re feeding more than people,” Roth says. “You’re feeding hope.”
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Wheeler and Connecticut Foodshare are currently examining plans to expand food distribution to other Wheeler locations across the state.
