SHU Alumni, Staff Distribute Food to Community

Student government’s annual turkey drive feeds 1,500

Sacred Heart University alumni and staff volunteers met at Wade’s Dairy on Barnum Avenue in Bridgeport to deliver food to struggling families in mid-December.

Food was purchased with funds raised by SHU student government’s annual turkey drive in a charitable partnership with Harry Garafolo ’80 of ShopRite of Milford, Doug Wade ’77 of Wade’s Dairy and a generous product donation from Nuovo Pasta of Stratford.

Cars lined the street in front of Wade’s Dairy at sunrise while volunteers waited at four loading stations to distribute food. The first 500 cars received bundles delivered to their trunks consisting of a turkey, two packages of fresh Nuovo pasta, a gallon of milk, two-and-a-half dozen eggs and a half gallon of cider. Once those bundles were depleted, 1,008 U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers to Families Food Boxes were handed out.

“The response by SHU alumni and parents to the student government annual turkey drive was incredibly uplifting, raising more than $15,000 to help feed people during the holiday season,” said Todd Gibbs, executive director of development and alumni engagement. “We are thankful for the leadership of Harry, Doug and all the volunteers who came together to care for our neighbors. Sacred Heart University’s commitment to serving others was proudly on display.”