The Optimist Club of South Windsor says an overwhelming response from local businesses, families and residents has resulted in 330 pasta dinners being donated to people in need across Windsor-Essex.
The meals, valued at more than $5,200, will be distributed Wednesday through Feeding Windsor-Essex and the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative.
Optimist Club president Elton Robinson says the generosity surpassed expectations and comes at a time when many organizations are seeing increased demand for food assistance.
He adds that the response is especially meaningful given the current economic pressures facing many residents.
“We started out with this opportunity with the Giovanni Caboto Club to be part of their pasta nights, and so we reached out to get some pre-orders we thought of, and the pre-orders ended up being more than we could ever imagine,” Robinson said.
The donated dinners will be shared between Feeding Windsor-Essex and the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative, two groups Robinson says are seeing growing demand as more people struggle with the rising cost of living.
“The budgets have been hit so hard for both Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative and Feeding Windsor Essex, that the number of people needing food now goes beyond just people living on the street. It goes to retirees that don’t have enough money, single mothers that don’t have enough money because of the cost of living and everything that’s been going on,” said Robinson.
The donations were made through a pre-order campaign tied to this week’s Giovanni Caboto Club Charity Pasta Night, which runs Wednesday from 4 until 7 p.m.
Robinson says the evening is designed to be affordable and family-friendly.
“The pasta night’s awesome. We’re going to have a magician Peculiar Pirate Paul going around to each table. We’re going to have face painting, and this is all going to be free, and Caboto is just amazing. It gets split between the 12 charities a a year we were chosen,” he said.
Entertainment is free and dinner is $16, with children under five eating free when dining in.