Connecticut Food Bank History

Mark Patton, a volunteer at Community Soup Kitchen in New Haven, started the Connecticut Food Bank in 1982 with a desk and chair provided by Christian Community Action. In July 1982, the Connecticut Food Bank began distributing food to 70 agencies throughout Connecticut from a 2,000 square-foot warehouse in New Haven at the corner of Ferry and Water Streets. By the end of that year, the Connecticut Food Bank distributed 400,000 pounds of food.

Just two years later, the Connecticut Food Bank became a certified affiliate of Feeding America (then called America’s Second Harvest) and Nancy L. Carrington, our former President & CEO, joined Connecticut Food Bank as a food solicitor.  By 1989, she was named Executive Director and oversaw the Food Bank’s move into new quarters on Bradley Street in East Haven.  Nancy was named President & CEO in 2010, and retired on December 31, 2014. Bernie Beaudreau joined the Connecticut Food Bank as CEO in May of 2016.

Today, the Connecticut Food Bank operates from a headquarters and distribution center in Wallingford and an additional distribution center in Fairfield and has an affiliated distribution center in New London.  We provide food to people who are hungry through a network of food-assistance programs in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham counties and last year distributed enough food to provide more than 19.2 million meals.