A Hartford nonprofit is helping families struggling with food insecurity and rising living costs by offering free weekly hot meals, including to those temporarily staying in motels as they search for permanent housing.
Angel of Edgewood has launched a weekly community meal program called Wednesdays at the Table at Bertera Subaru, providing food to families in the surrounding area who are struggling to make ends meet.
Jendayi Scott, founder of Angel of Edgewood, said the initiative is designed to support people facing both housing and food insecurity.
“People who are unhoused and temporarily staying in some of the motels in the area, all face food insecurities,” she said.
For Hartford resident Scott Toce, the free meals provide much-needed relief as he raises his 18-year-old son alone while living in a nearby motel.
Despite working full time, Toce said rising costs have made it increasingly difficult to afford everyday necessities.
“It’s outrageous. I’m a single father; I have an 18-year-old son you just have enough just to get by nowadays,” he said.
Toce said the meals help him stretch his family’s food budget because one serving can provide enough food for more than one meal.
“It could last a long way because you could have half of it for lunch and half of it for dinner. That’s a great thing,” he said.
The initiative comes as families across Connecticut continue to struggle with food insecurity.
According to a survey conducted by UConn and Connecticut Foodshare, more than half of households that visit food pantries have children, while about one-third report having jobs.
Scott said the rising cost of living makes programs like Wednesdays at the Table especially important.
“The economy is so expensive right now, and hey, anybody can use a free cooked meal,” Scott said.
The nonprofit plans to continue distributing free meals every Wednesday through Thanksgiving.
For Toce, who is still searching for a more permanent place to live, the program offers a way to save money while ensuring his family has something warm to eat.
“Five dollars nowadays doesn’t get you far, so that kind of food will get you a lot farther,” he said.
