Person to Person (P2P), the largest food pantry provider in lower Fairfield County, has announced the expansion of its P2P on Wheels program with the addition of a second mobile food pantry, doubling the nonprofit’s capacity to serve families and individuals in Stamford thanks to a generous $240,000 grant from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation. This expansion will also offer crucial support services delivered by P2P’s trained, bilingual caseworkers, who help clients navigate additional resources through P2P or referrals to other area agencies.
The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation has given over $1.6 million charitable support to P2P. Their support will help ensure that P2P can continue meeting the growing needs of the Stamford community, expanding its reach to more individuals and neighborhoods where it is needed most.
In FY24, P2P distributed enough groceries in Stamford to prepare 561,000 meals. With 2,200 Stamford residents relying on P2P each month, the new mobile pantry will help meet the growing demand for food assistance and provide access to other vital support services, including housing, financial assistance and job training resources.
This expansion is crucial as about 12% of Stamford residents face food insecurity, a number rising due to economic challenges and the lingering effects of the pandemic. Many families face barriers, such as a lack of transportation to traditional food pantries, making mobile services like P2P on Wheels essential. The second mobile pantry will expand into new neighborhoods and offer evening and weekend hours to better reach working families. It will provide a full complement of food for healthy meals, including fresh produce, milk, meat, eggs and pantry staples such as cereal and beans.
Nancy Coughlin, CEO of Person to Person, said, “The need for food assistance in Connecticut’s second-largest city, unfortunately, continues to climb. In 2023, when Mike Riccardi was Person to Person Board Chair, he initiated this project and helped raise vital funds to make it a reality. We are grateful to the thousands of volunteers and dozens of community partners that help us build a stronger Stamford.”
City of Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons praised the initiative, stating, “Person to Person’s P2P on Wheels program has been a critical initiative for our community, providing resources to many Stamford residents. The addition of the second mobile food pantry is a vital asset to help combat food insecurity in our city and I am proud to stand with P2P in their mission to serve our most vulnerable residents.”
To see the pantry schedule or learn how to get involved by donating, volunteering, or receiving food support, visit p2phelps.org.
