The Food Pantry at The Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor will open its doors on Monday, August 29.
For almost 10 years, Neighbor to Neighbor’s Board of Directors, Capital Campaign and Building Committees, staff, and supporters have eagerly awaited this day.
This will be the first phase of opening the new facility.
The last few years have been a true journey for the organization, moving from the lower level of Christ Church to Arch Street Teen Center to North Greenwich Congregational Church to the Town’s Horseneck Facility. The final move to The Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor is a reason to celebrate for everyone involved, especially those who visit on a weekly basis for their groceries.
Starting August 29, Neighbor to Neighbor will begin welcoming clients to shop in the new Food Pantry featuring wider aisles for better accessibility and expanded refrigerator and freezer space to offer more fresh food items.
Back in 2012, when Neighbor to Neighbor’s Board of Directors committed the initial funding for the facility, they were completely unaware of the obstacles and challenges to come. From legal battles and lawsuits to a global pandemic to inflation and supply chain delays, they remained steadfast and committed to ensuring Neighbor to Neighbor would have a facility, adequate in size and location, to best serve our neighbors in need.
Neighbor to Neighbor launched the Capital Campaign in fall of 2015 with the announcement of a $1.5M gift from The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation. Since then, so many community members including individuals, foundations, and religious and civic organizations, showed their support through incredibly generous donations.
The Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor is a 6,400-square-foot ADA-compliant facility with many sustainable features. It is situated to the rear and east of the Tomes Higgins House on the Christ Church campus at 248 East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich.
Last year, Neighbor to Neighbor served more than 650 Greenwich households with an average of 598
households enrolled for food assistance each month. That is a 35% increase compared to pre-pandemic, when there was an average of 442 households enrolled each month.
While donations of food will be accepted immediately, donations of clothing will not be accepted until the Clothing & Essentials Room is fully operational.
Neighbor to Neighbor will provide regular updates to the public as the organization completes its transition into the new facility.
The community will be invited to visit and tour The Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor during Neighbor to Neighbor Day in October.
