STONINGTON — Ali Thomas is ready to squash hunger.
The Stonington resident learned an important lesson when she volunteered at a food bank in Florida last winter. Now she's aiming to apply it locally.
Thomas, 17, a rising senior at Deerfield (Mass.) Academy, was on spring break and staying at her family's winter home in Vero Beach, Fla., when she decided to lend a hand at the local food pantry.
"I wanted to get involved in something meaningful so I began volunteering at the Treasure Coast Food Bank," said Thomas, who also volunteers at a soup kitchen called Second Helpings when she's back at school.
It was at Second Helpings where she found her "initial passion for community service and giving back," she said, and it was at Treasure Coast she witnessed how "elated" people were to get "such fresh and healthy food."
"People were so appreciative of getting fresh vegetables," Thomas said. "I remember some of them telling me that they couldn't wait to get home and make a nice soup for their families with the veggies."
That gratitude made an impression on the Thomas, the daughter of Sara and Scott Thomas. So, when she got back to Stonington — where her family has a summer home — she wondered if she could connect with an organization that arranged for surplus produce to get from farms to people in need.
"I wanted to see if I could do something similar here," she said. "I began to wonder what local farms did with their produce at the end of the day ... with the things that didn't sell."
When she couldn't find such a program, she decided to start one herself.
She wanted to get fresh produce into the hands of local folks in need "to bring this same joy to people," she said.
After a visit to Wehpittituck Farm and on Cove Road, and another to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Thomas' plan began to take shape. She formed a nonprofit organization and named it "Squash Hunger," and set to work.
"I collect surplus produce from local farms then deliver everything to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center," Thomas said one morning last week as she prepared for a stop by the farm to pick up produce.
"I would love the opportunity to grow this organization," she said.
"We are so happy to have even more fresh produce to offer," said Susan Sedensky, the executive director of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. "Ali had such a nice idea ... and it's been a really good season for gardens."
"She's very responsible," Sedensky said of Thomas.
In addition to offering social services, living supplies, weekend backpack meals for children, a food pantry and baby supplies and car seats at no cost, the center has its own community garden that has been full of fresh fruits and vegetables this year.
"There is still a misconception that food pantries only have canned goods," Sedenskysaid. "But we have such good produce ... I'm so happy we have such fresh food to offer."
Dave Murphy, the pantry manager at the neighborhood center, called the vegetables from Wehpittituck Farm "beautiful."
Thomas said she already has plans to expand staffing at her burgeoning nonprofit, including perhaps adding her younger brother, Sam, 15, next summer.
For more information or to learn how to connect with Thomas, visit www.squashhunger.net.
The Link LonkAugust 16, 2020 at 08:00AM
https://www.thewesterlysun.com/daily-news-alerts/squashing-hunger-teenager-starts-nonprofit-to-get-fresh-produce-to-those-in-need/article_6dc1de34-d731-11ea-8cd9-1fb7118b4f5e.html
Squashing hunger — teenager starts nonprofit to get fresh produce to those in need - The Westerly Sun
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