Harvest House V nets bounty for needy Valley families

(Peter Casolino — New Haven Register) Jack Walsh, President of the Valley United Way thanks the volunteers as they prepare to take a photo at the Harvest House V on the Riverwalk in Shelton. The items will go to Valley nonprofits that feed the needy.

By Patricia Villers, New Haven Register

Posted: 09/30/13, 6:20 PM EDT 

SHELTON >> Non-profit organizations that feed the Valley’s needy Monday reaped the benefits from the Valley United Way’s Harvest House V.
Donated food in a 400-square-foot structure alongside the Shelton Riverwalk was distributed to several agencies.
Carpentry students from Emmett O’Brien Technical High School in Ansonia built the house inside the year-old Derby-Shelton Rotary Club Pavilion.
The pavilion was dedicated in September 2012. Harvest House is a biannual event, and the pavilion was not there at the Harvest House IV in 2011.
Valley United Way President Jack Walsh said the structure was completed much more quickly than in the past. “The pavilion made a big difference,” he said. “Everything seemed to go much faster.”
Walsh and Pat Tarasovic, Valley United Way Corporate Volunteer Council director, both thanked Prudential for its support. Prudential was the marquee sponsor for the event.
Tarasovic said constructing Harvest House “is part of our Week of Caring for the Corporate Volunteer Council.”
She said this year saw the most food ever collected. “Hundreds of people came out here Saturday” to help, she said. “It’s very important to CVC to make a difference in the Valley community.”
Walsh said “hundreds and hundreds” of photos and videos were taken of construction and during the weekend festival. Volunteers were treated to live music, magic, a pancake breakfast, and more.
He said the photos are posted on the Valley United Way’s web site and Facebook page.
Students from Emmett O’Brien will return Tuesday to take down the house. Walsh said a cookout will be held to thank them for their work.
One of the organizations benefitting from Harvest House V is the Parent-Child Resource Center. “This is wonderful,” said CEO Michael Wynne said as he took boxes of pasta off the shelves.
PCRC parent educator Patricia Colon was helping Wynne get the food. It was the first time she had been to Harvest House.
“It’s so amazing to see how everybody comes together for the Valley community,” she said. “It’s great to see the outpouring of help.”
Liz Holcomb, director of operations at ACT/Spooner House in Shelton, expressed gratitude for the food. “We‘re so fortunate.” She said Spooner House serves 8,000 to 11,000 meals a month.
“I would encourage people to give to their local United Way,” Holcomb said. “You’re feeding strangers.”
Later Monday a flurry of activity was visible at St. Vincent De Paul Helping Hands of the Valley in Derby as volunteers stocked food bank shelves.
Manager Cindy Barbian also expressed gratitude. “We got a lot more this year,” she said. “Harvest House is a blessing. The community really came together this time.”
Barbian said the phone has been ringing off the hook, with people seeking food assistance. “We’ve been packing groceries for six families a day, five days a week,” she said. “It’s hard when they come in and we have nothing to give them.”
Barbian said the need is never-ending, and she and director Sandi Bailie soon will be packing bags of food for clients for Thanksgiving.
 

 (Peter Casolino — New Haven Register) Mike Wynne and Patricia Colon collect items that will be brought back to the Parent Child Resource Center (in Derby) at the Harvest House V on the Riverwalk in Shelton. 


 
  
While there this morning I took a few photos as well:

I was impressed with the neatly stacked shelves.

 The morning was picture perfect. Pumpkins are photogenic, aren't they?

The Valley United Way offered plenty to do at the celebration over the weekend.


Congratulations go out to the Valley United Way and to all who contributed to the success of this worthwhile event!