The Friendly Hands Food Bank in Torrington, CT, began in Maureen (Mo) Hubert’s home on Feb 9, 1991. Forced by the demand that grew continually since that day, the operation is now housed in its own separate facility.

“How many people in our community needing food was my driving force,” Hubert told The Produce News. “The places that donated food were controlled by so much bureaucracy that people were dissuaded or didn’t meet the criteria. I decided to do it my way. It’s just a bag of food-and we all need to eat.”

She and two friends began contacting grocery stores, churches and anyone else they could think of asking for food.

“By 2000 there were huge piles of food all over my house and a steady stream of people coming and going,” Hubert explained. “My husband was getting irritated, and in truth it had become overwhelming. I knew we needed a separate facility from which to function.”

But organizations that beg for food and hand it out freely to those in need rarely have a large coffer. Not willing to be defeated, Hubert made a phone call to the then Mayor of Torrington, Mary Jane Gryniuk.

“I asked her how much money she had in petty cash,” said Hubert. “She asked how much I needed. I told her that we needed $95,000 to buy a building on King Street to continue our operation. She said she would think about it and call me back.”

Gryniuk lived up to her words. She soon called Hubert back to tell her she had secured a small city grant for $139,000 from the Department of Social Services to buy and renovate the building to fit the food bank’s needs.

“We ended up with 13 rooms,” said Hubert. “At the time I thought that we’d never need more space, but now we’re busting at the seams. When we started we were giving bags of food to about 50 people. Today about 2,500 people depend on our donations.”

Money is always a major concern and a problem for organizations like the Friendly Hands Food Bank. Now that they have the building they have to pay the overhead costs including heat, electricity and insurance. Hubert continually works to raise money.

“We get $33,500 annually from the Department of Social Services, but that doesn’t touch what we need,” she explained. “In 2012 our budget was over $170,000, leaving us with a deficit of $140,000 we had to raise on our own. The 2014 budget increased to $194,000, making fund raising more important than ever.

“We have penny jars placed in stores and services all over town,” she continued. “We hold drawings and do everything else that we think will help us to raise money. But with the economy tight and everyone dealing with financial pressures it’s a struggle that worsens over time.”

Friendly Hands also has an “angel” from the produce industry helping out. Kevin Bartolotta, president and owner of Bartolotta Inc., is deeply dedicated to the not-for-profit. He not only gives personally and through his company, but he also holds an annual fundraiser where he contacts his sources, customers and anyone else he feels might donate. He chooses three charities each year. Two of the charities change each year depending on what he feels is important at the time, such as giving to Superstorm Sandy victims on Staten Island in his 2014 fundraiser. But one thing never changes in his charity choices — Friendly Hands is always on the list of charities the raised money is split among.

“Kevin really tries to help us get the word out to the produce industry,” said Hubert. “And he does everything possible. But it takes an entire community to help an organization like ours. We feel sure that there are other companies in Connecticut and throughout New England who would reach out to us if only they knew we were here and in need.”

Other organizations also help Friendly Hands through money and/or food donations. Every year, the day before Mother’s Day in May, the national postal service conducts a food drive. This year it donated over four tons of food to Friendly Hands. Hubert noted that in June it was already gone.

“Most people who come to us are those who fall through the cracks of the government’s system,” she noted. “Connecticut has a chart of financial aid they abide by, and there are food stamps for those who qualify. But the poverty level has also been increased by the government. A lot of our clients don’t qualify for aid and many live on Social Security or disability. They just can’t make the money part needed for food.

“There are nearly 500 families in the seven towns in Litchfield County that we feed, which totals 2,500 people,” she continued. “And the number of people who come to us increases every year. We have never and will never say ‘no’ to anyone.”

When clients come through the door, Friendly Hands takes down general information such name, address, number of family members and ages, and without exception everyone walks out with at least three bags of a good variety of nutritious food that will feed the family for two weeks. It also caters to people with special needs such as diabetes, salt restrictive diets and all others. It also participates in special events. Children get birthday cakes, Easter baskets, back-to-school handouts and it celebrates Thanksgiving, Christmas and other major holidays with special donations.

“Kevin gives us all of the fruit and vegetables we hand out at Thanksgiving each year,” Hubert pointed out. “We simply could not make it without people like Kevin, the churches and the few others we depend on. We would just like more people to know about our work and that we are in need in order to keep doing it.

“We have every imaginable grocery product,” she added. “We go to the Connecticut Food Bank in Waterbury regularly and pick up anything possible. Most is free but occasionally we pay a small fee. Every little bit counts dearly to us, as well as to our clients.”

For more information or to make a donation, the website is www.friendlyhandsfoodbank.org.