The New Canaan Food Pantry has seen rising use in the past two years and the need appears to be growing, officials say.
The number of individual shoppers using the pantry increased by 22% from fiscal year 2023 to 2024 (from 863 to 1,056) and is already at 769 in fiscal year 2025 (which runs through June 30), according to Marcella Rand, director of the Department of Human Services.
“Our food pantry participation has really increased,” Rand told members of the Board of Selectmen during a regular meeting held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “This year I did year-to-date so you could see where we are and how we think that the use is really going to be increased.”
Here’s a table showing data on food pantry use:
New Canaan Food Pantry Participation
Source: Department of Human Services
Fiscal year Household individuals Shoppers coming to food pantry
FY23 1,201 863
FY24 1,410 1,056
FY25 (year-to-date) 892 769
The Food Pantry provides non-perishable items to qualified individuals and families living in New Canaan. It’s open every other Tuesday for two one-hour distribution sessions, where volunteers sort, stock and bag groceries. Donations are accepted seven days per week at St. Mark’s (non-perishable and non-expired food can be placed on any table inside the Food Pantry).
Rand said the pantry runs primarily off of monetary donations and food drives.
“That helps fill the need,” she said. “It doesn’t come out of our budget.” (Rand’s comments on the Food Pantry came during a presentation of her proposed spending plan for the department in fiscal year 2026.)
The selectmen asked whether the figures Rand provided count individuals who use the pantry or total visits, including repeat visits (both of those figures, separately), whether the food pantry is open every week or every other week (the latter) and whether there’s sufficient awareness of the pantry in town (yes).
The Food Pantry has seen record-high use in recent years.
According to Rand, any donated items that are not on the Food Pantry “needed list” (see below) go on a “bonus table.”
“So while our volunteers are shopping off of the grocery lists that our residents have given, they [the shoppers] can go around the bonus table and bring home extras,” Rand said.
Selectman Steve Karl said of the pantry: “That is one of the great things about our community is the Food Pantry. The way it is set up so that you literally have a shopping cart and the whole experience feels like you are shopping.”
Items currently needed at the New Canaan Food Pantry include:
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
- Canned Tomatoes
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Tuna
- Unsweetened/ Sweet Apple Sauce
- Parmalat or Any Boxed Non-Refrigerated Milk
- Juice Packs
- Salsa
- Mayo
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil
- Salad Dressing
- Taco Kits
- Toothpaste
- Tissues
- Dishwashing Detergent
- Paper Towel
- Cleaning Supplies
- Feminine Products